DÆMONICA Online
by telosgod
Summary: Dæmonica online is the pinnacle of VR games. My secrets and fears hang over me. Everything I hold dear, friends old and new, and even my own life are in jeopardy. All because of the god here, Lockeless. And the PKers, such as Eld. But there are more things connecting me to them than anyone knows. All of it in my past and with my friend, Cooper. My name is Sol. AU Based on SAO idea.
1. phase 00

**Author's note–A bit nervous to do this, probably messed this whole thing up from start to finish but here I go, amateur attempt one. I'm a bit anxious at putting this out for people to read but it can only help me improve so all criticisms welcome. Er...next on the list...ah yes. Kinda feel like I have to do this to cover the bases.**

**Disclaimer: This is a work of pure fiction (obviously). Any characters or the world from the **_**Sword Art Online**_** series of light novels (manga, anime, video games) by Kawahara Reki (etc. for these other media) are created and owned by their respective owners and I claim no ownership over them or the Sword Art Online universe. This is a story meant for entertainment purposes not to be believed as part of the official story line. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. (I feel a bit dumb doing this.)**

**That asides I'd like to welcome you to Dæmonica.**

Phase 00 Login

Cold, that's what the intermediary state feels like. Its nothingness with an absence of heat. But soon your rushed to the first screen, INITIAL LOGIN. USER-name, Password, address for further verification (optional after initial login.) I went through the process patiently. Then I was in the tutorial, getting use to an avatar body and the basic actions of the game. I was using a neural interface to directly access the game. _**Dæmonica**_. Fight in a realm devised by the Demon god. Free yourself from his evil clutches, with divine protection and your own skill. The first sight of Purgatory, the new dimension, was a sky shot. It was huge, easily several tens of miles. That was just the base, it shrunk to a reasonable size as you looked above the stars to the next tier. At the top, the 100th tier world, was the demon king's palace. And beyond that was the Aster, paradise. The ultimate objective. Then after you did some sight seeing you were rocketed downward. Vertigo and the sensation of the wind against your skin met your perception. The real body in the real world would be asleep. The mind would dream, and the neural interface would be translating the bodies neural signals and digital data back and forth over a wireless connection. Then you landed, kneeling at first. I felt real gravity, real air, real everything. I stood. This world was reality now. Its all a game right? Exactly thirteen minutes later, all the players gathered in the center of the town, twenty thousand strong. We waited for the official start of Dæmonica. The creator of the interface, the game, the world, Gene Lockeless would appear and, metaphorically, do the ribbon cutting. When he did appear it surprised us all, at first it was just a red cloud. It condensed and became a reaper, a grim reaper.

"Welcome." We cheered.

But that ended quickly. "I apologize for tricking you all like this." He started.

Then several windows appeared. Each appropriate to our area.

"But as you can see you all fell into a horrible trap. This might be a game, but you are to live it, not to play it."

Then our entire world fell apart. NEURAL INTERFACE HIJACKING. Was the best title to describe what happened. Each and everyone of us was a hostage, the interface completely blocked the commands from our brains, except those necessary for life functions. We were in comas, across three continents and a handful more nations.

"Do not worry. All of you will be transported to one of five specially made facility for just this purpose. To keep you safe. All of you will be taken care of, the transferring will end in five more hours. Until then you'll remain here. As a warning, though." The black shape started to disperse.

"The interface can do so much more than interrupt and redirect bioelectric messages, it can send them back to the source or redouble the message, causing something similar to an overload." It was just his black hood now.

"The point being, you'll die. If the interface is removed, the power-source dies, loses connection to Dæmonica for more than seven hours, or is ordered to destroy you, it will destroy your mind. It will stop your heart and lungs, it will kill you, if you die in this world." Then the figure was gone, only a whisper of his voice remained.

"Though I fear four-hundred of you already had loved ones who killed you."

The sound of crashing and guttural screams reached my ears. Several people were dying, disappearing before my very eyes. Dying in front of me. After the first people died in this game, the screams continued, they stopped when those people collapsed or calmed about three hours later. As the fifth hour of waiting ended the specter was back.

"Congratulations, the last of you are touching down at your institutes in the US. The rest of you should have reconnected already or are experiencing lag. I'll release you to your adventure momentarily." Then I realized that he had us frozen.

We would have complained and attacked him, but he even had our lips shut. This was a scary power. "I wish this to be your adventure, not a generic avatar's." He swiped his hand and our data recompiled.

I winced and watched. Everyone changed. We looked like regular people, people you'd see as lawyers and other adults were a large part of the crowd. The ratio of men to women changed too. From equally half to maybe two in five. I looked down at myself.

IMPOSSIBLE!

I was like my real self. Lean, a bit on the tall side, my serious expression that seemed to always be plastered to me felt real.

"NO!" Several people yelled. "Welcome to Dæmonica. To my world of Purgatory. I will await you all at the Obsidian Blight Palace. May you fight bravely and your wills never dull."

Then the reaper, the new God, Damn Lockeless, rocketed upwards through the starry barriers in the sky to the top tier. Then we were able to move. Immediately the disbelief spread like a plague. People broke down and curled into the fetal position. Others sobbed to themselves, some had stoic expressions. They trembled and kept mumbling to themselves, "Not real."

I was terrified. My heart felt a deep pang of pain and guilt. I couldn't stand to watch them. I turned and ran, "NOO!" A woman screamed as I ran past.

I saw others follow my example, or rather I followed their example. Close to a thousand players, of the total twenty thousand, rushed through the gates to the fields of war. I saw skeletons ringing the city. Their name, Wretched. I drew the starting sword, my hand felt cumbersome with it now that it had changed from that of an adult to the fourteen year-old me. A Wretched raised its fist as the tip of the short-sword glowed.

"AHH!"

I drove the point home, at the exposed skeletal neck of it. Destroying it. I rushed past the line, as fighting broke out. This was the first of many battles. I looked back, I saw a man get knocked to the floor. I raised my sword, and I shouted, for my family. For my sister. For my life and all those that were trapped. I charged and slapped it with the flat of the blade, a stun motion for low level enemies. The skeleton tottered. The man's axe smashed its legs and the skeleton shattered on the ground, dead. I helped him up.

"Come on, we'll get slaughtered." We dashed past as the sheer number of skeletons increased. A wall of three stood in our way. I dashed forward. "AHH!" One edge of the sword glowed sea green, a complete semicircle slash destroyed the skeletons.

I was frozen for a moment, action pause. The guy I saved slung me over his shoulder and barreled through the five new monsters. His axe was highly effective against them. We made it to the forest a mile away, more players were around us, we had made it. We cleared the first challenge.

We sprawled out on the grass. "C-check!" Someone said.

I counted the heads around, I stopped short of three hundred after an immeasurable amount of time. I looked back at the starting city, a vast majority of players were still stuck back on the battlefield. Then we had a brief debate. Go back or Continue. Less than half of the people were for going back, I'll give you three guesses as to two of them. Me and the other guy I saved. We were outvoted and continued on. I looked over my shoulder once and saw a person get killed. I shuttered and turned away. The forest had several things in it. Several dangerous things with gnashing teeth set in demonic mouths.


	2. Phase 01

**Author's Note––So yeah I'm adding a full length chapter now. I was doubting getting the prologue up but now I'm posting this. Oh well. I've had a few ideas for what will happen next. I'm a bit excited to get it typed up and posted, but I'd like to get a few reviews first, see what I'm poor at doing. Anyway enjoy this chapter. Maybe you'll piece together what will happen before I can think it up. Now I have to go, someone awaits in Mythril.**

Phase 01 Impression

I looked down the cliff at the outcrop below. A proud Hercules Eagle stood in the nest, watching. I took out the dagger I had, it would have the best multiplier with a stealth attack. The tip glowed white, _skill ready_, I thought. I leapt off the cliff and aimed the dagger downwards. _Rivet_! The single thrust attack had an immobilization ailment with a twenty percent chance of occurrence. I stabbed the Eagle dead center of its back. The thing cawed loudly with its wings spread out. Then it froze, it grayed slightly and a few sparks flew around its head. Stun and immobilized. I hacked away at the large feet and rolled it over the edge of the nest. I saw it start flapping feet from the ground, but it shattered into coded data and disappeared. Satisfied that the threat was neutralized I turned back to the nest. Three gilded spheres were there. One of them was made of gold and the others were eggs. I tapped the three spheres and sent them to my inventory. I took out a flint and set fire to the nest. Then I slammed my foot down a few times and the outcropping rock cracked and broke off. The nest came down with me as we fell to the ground. The nest crumbled and fell apart as the fires ate it. At the last possible moment I grabbed a gem that was in a small slot at my belt. "Base." I crushed the stone and teleported. I reappeared in the center of a frontier town. Base. It was smack dab in the center of the first floor. Its been two weeks since the battle outside Starting city. Base was the main city of the first tier and was starting to get populated. We found the dungeon for the first boss. Mapping it out took a while. Now we had a general idea of where the enemy boss was. But two weeks had been hell. I was now level eight, among the highest levels so far. I switched my weapon to a one-handed short-sword. I felt the comfortable weight on my back.

"Yo! Sol!"

Sol, my username. Or rather, this me. The one trapped inside this god forsaken hell hole. Don't get me wrong, the place was an amazing cage. But a cage is still a cage. The beautiful rolling hills and strips of forests that made up the majority of this tier were nothing more than glorified bars and locks.

"Sid. Still alive."

The titanic african-american man with thick muscles and one of the first quest given items, a bearded axe. The thing had impressive stats but required a monstrous amount of the strength attribute to wield, effectively that is.

"Yeah brother. Have you heard?"

"Heard what?"

He sighed. "They found the boss. It took a while but they found the door, now they're going to send in a sortie to scout the boss's abilities." A scouting mission.

"How many players?" He told me, seven. Half the clearing group.

"Thanks man. I'll go have a look with them."

They usually held meetings at an open air theatre. It was a little distance away from Base. Just as I thought, the ragtag bunch of people, those who were the strongest of the surviving nineteen thousand people, had gathered here. In total they numbered around twelve.

"E–stone!" I called out.

A collegiate with long, girlishly, curly hair turned to me.

"Wattzup!" He said in his curious way.

We shook hands. "I heard your about to pop the top on a very nasty can of worms." He nods.

"Yes. The boss was found and we are gathering volunteers. I assume you want to join those guys?" I nod.

"Well...as a word of advice, the one with a dagger is a bit unstable. I sometimes think he's just as likely to stab you in the back as he would a monster." I blinked. "Got it."

He clapped my shoulders. "Seriously man, take care." I nod again.

"They enter the dungeon and start the penetration in four hours. I'll send them a message while you prepare." I nod for the umpteenth time.

Four hours was plenty of time. "I'll go wrap up a quest I have and load up for the scout run."

The Quest giver was an old lady inside one of the houses that ring the central plaza. I walked into her house and showed her the golden sphere. She looked surprised. "Thank you. Thank you so very much." I handed her the sphere and watched her hug it to her chest.

A small screen showed the Conclusion screen, I had finished the quest and received a decent amount of currency and experience. "Thank you. Now if you can do one last thing for me."

A quest flag popped up over her head. I debated whether or not I should take it. I accepted her quest after a few minutes. "I'm old and frail. My precious Alermony is forever young inside this prison," I sympathized, considering the game where I was trapped in.

"Please. Grant this old hag one last selfish wish." She took a deep breath.

"Free me, from these earthly chains." A cursor appeared over her as if she were an attack target.

The sphere she held close to her hummed out a silent melody. "I see."

I drew my sword and stabbed the NPC once, through the golden sphere and into her. "Thank––" She turned into a young woman for a moment. Her wrinkles disappeared and her eyes glimmered. "You." She shattered, into bits of data that was then scrubbed.

The shards of blue light melted into nothingness around me. _COMPLETE!_ The screen read. Another Quest wrapped up, a new item to add to my list. I checked the necklace, _Lovelace_. The item had an impossible bonus with weak stat boosts that made it quite useful. I swallowed hard as I equipped it. I read the special text at the bottom. _This unique necklace shows its true potential when given to someone close to the heart._ I ignored whatever it meant and continued on. The expression of peace that the NPC had made me wonder, were they really just programs that mimicked us, or had they gone a step beyond. I shook my head. This system would trick you. It will tap into a weakness, any weakness, and take you. I redoubled my pace and headed for the dungeon. A broken pillar in the distance marked it out. A boar blocked my path. I brought down my sword and watched it shatter. The enemy seemed easier than before. Maybe those slight boosts to all stats made a bit more of an impact on actual combat. I strolled through the wilds, kicking asides boars and item harvesting. I had a decent amount of healing draughts when I made it to the entrance of the dungeon. I suddenly felt a nasty..._killing intent_. I felt it concentrate on the back of my neck. I ducked and jumped back. A glittering knife flew overhead and I collided with the person. We rolled back for a few feet before separating. His face was hidden behind a mask, a special quest reward no doubt. It looked like a skull with the jaws hanging perpetually open to allow the person's mouth to move. The eyes were deep into the mask's darkness. Eyeing me for an opening.

"Oh. Its the supporter." He straightens and sheathes the knife.

I take a cautious step back. "Sorry about that kid. I get trigger happy pretty easily."

He extended his hand towards me. I shake it as I sheathe my blade, my suspicion of this person at an all time high. How does someone get trigger happy with a knife. Then I noticed his eyes, they looked as if they were twitching constantly. I shivered.

"I heard that you'll be doing an investigation––"

"A test run my boy. A test run. Call a jack a jack and a spade a spade. What we are going to do is risk our respective necks out for the cowards who won't come and test out the enemy with their own hands." I stayed silent.

He rubbed the smooth top of his helmet. "Well I'm a bit worried actually."

He eyed me up and down again. "You look a bit on the frail side boy. I know we're taking volunteers and all but we aren't jumping to our deaths without a chance of living."

I kind of expected this. I looked frail, true. But this was a game, the numbers in the system were what decided your power.

"Don't worry, I'll hold my own." He looked at me uncomfortable.

"Well you'll get our back. Cover me, I'm Eld." I frowned, was he seriously trying to patronize me?

I sighed inwardly. "Alright."

He lead me into the dungeon. "We're starting ahead of time, the others are taking their time getting here."

I saw two shadows approach, they both had player cursors over their heads. One was covered in a cloak, so I wasn't able to see him. The other wore heavy armor and a tower shield. The image of a tank.

"Klyle," He pronounced it as kyle with an L sound before the Y as well as after.

"Red." The cloaked figure made a small, almost imperceptibly movement. A nod.

"This is,"

"Sol."

"Sol. Let's go tear this boss a new one." The tank took up the cheer and I added a small "sure" to the mix while Red stayed quiet.

"Before we go, Link-Up."

Linking with a partner was meant for to add bonuses to combat and linking abilities with special attacks. I timidly sent Red one, he accepted, I think because he mostly had to. The dungeon was made with rough cut pillars of stones and uneven cobblestone passageways. Realistic. The enemies were something too, level five _Keepers_, ghosts to say the least. They were incredible frightening in groups, moaning and swinging around their chains to rattle. Red tensed next to me, in a second he was off into the fray, his weapon flashed brightly a handful of times and several Keepers died. Then one brought down its chain, letting it wrap around the lightning quick blade and holding him in place. He twitched as the Keeper howled in his face.

"Shift!" I heard, though his voice sounded peculiar.

I rushed forward and sliced through the Keeper's chain, letting Red cover my back as I took on the assault.

"That's it!" Eld yelled a few feet away, his knife crisscrossed the Keeper in front of him and killed it.

The Keeper I fought with was unnaturally hard to kill. Its health kept regenerating almost as fast as I could slash it. Finally I let light bead on my blade. A single slash, _Crescent_, destroyed it after landing a critical hit. They just kept coming.

"Kid, get behind me."

The tank barged right past me. His tower shield raised in front of him. I dashed behind him as he knocked down several Keepers. I finished them off as he drew his longsword to deal out additional damage. Once the Keepers were dealt with we did a once over. Our health was still in the green. Mine especially, the bar climbed up steadily as it replenished itself.

"So you are tougher than I thought." Eld pats my back.

Then we continue to go deeper into the dungeon. We fought off a few more waves of Keepers and skeletal warriors.

"Cover me!" I yelled over my shoulder as I charged the skeletons.

Apparently the skeletons are named Wretches, just like the first monsters outside the starting city. A Wretched stabbed at me. I parried the blow and sent the monster sprawling. Red leapt over me and stabbed into the downed enemy with a weapon I vaguely recognized. A foil, the beginner level weapon of the fencer category. A few weapons, such as rapiers and sabers, could be dually designated to the fencer category and their own specific category. So a rapier could go with the rapier style or the fencer style. A saber could fall under crescent blades style, fencer style, or regular swordsmen style. Fencer was one of the few styles that was this inclusive with weapons. But most single handed swords just fell under the swordsman style or the fencer style if they were special. Two handed swords had their own separate category of style. I ducked as a Keeper swung its chain at me. I stabbed upwards and used _Crescent_ afterwords to finish it.

"WHOA!" Klyle exclaimed as he was overwhelmed.

"Come on!" I called to Red.

I refuse to let anyone die if I can help it. I charged in recklessly and beat off the Wretches. Red pressed his back to mine as we were surrounded. Klyle teleported away as his health dropped into the critical red zone.

"WEAK!" Eld yelled as he chopped at the Keepers, keeping them occupied while the Wretches closed in.

"Can you take down two with one attack?" I asked Red.

"Yes." He said plainly as I picked up that peculiar voice of his. Now I had a doubt about Red.

"Alright. Take out two and keep me to your back. I'm probably going to do something stupid now."

I sheathed my sword and drew the knife at my hip. The advantages of knives was that they had really over powered special attacks. Often times dealing more damage than some great sword special attacks. Disadvantages, the limited reach which put you at more risk, their normal attack strength wasn't anything special, and the fact that they were dangerous to use if you don't have someone covering you. I felt the pressure of Red at my back disappear and I saw light come from behind me. I charged forward, the blade glowed sea-foam green. Two consecutive strike attack, _Breaker_. I lunged forward with a thrusting motion, my body controlled by the system. I stabbed through one Wretched and saw a brief light effect in the shape of a cone come from the blade that extended two meters in front of me. Cutting into two more. Then the next attack. The knife flew in my hand as I spun fully, the ribbon of light extended beyond the reach of the knife, a full three feet more. Thus catching the three adjacent Wretches that were about to strike at me. Then I was crouching, suffering from the action pause side effect after using a special attack. I effectively destroyed three of the seven Wretches in front of me. The other two were were severely weakened. Leaving two more that were relatively unharmed. Three Wretches were on me, readying different attack patterns. This was the main disadvantage of using a knife, the possibility of being overwhelmed after using a special attack. But light came from my side, a foil stabbed forward. It stabbed three times, finishing off the two Wretches that were weakened and stunning the third as it connected with its weapon.

"Thanks!"

I slash twice at weak points of the Wretched. Then I use _Rivet_ to immobilize the final one.

"Leave me some!" Eld yells as he uses _Rivet_ as well to finish it off.

We took a breather as we recovered from the fight.

"Is it me (huff) or were there to many of those guys." Eld sighed.

"I think Klyle, the idiot, attracted a bunch of those hordes when he kept charging clear through the ones we were fighting." I sighed.

Our health was borderline yellow, except Eld who was barely in the red. "Let's camp here for a moment."

We rested for thirty minutes, twenty more than we were suppose to. We fought off two more hordes, these were smaller than the big cumulative horde we fought earlier. Klyle came back and got scolded by Eld. After being delegated to the rearguard Eld let me and Red take the forward position. We left them behind as we scouted out further ahead. We took care of a few small hordes and basically left scraps for the two behind us. I returned to using the far safer swordsman style as I drew my sword. I crouched behind a column. A new type of enemy, _Wraith_, was ahead. I gladly had a higher hiding and seeking level thanks to the quest that rewarded me with the Lovelace necklace. That eagle had been hard to find and harder to sneak by. Red also had a surprising hiding level. The Wraith was a few levels over us. But it was alone. A good thing.

"Want to risk it?" Red nodded.

I now had a curious thought. I stepped out from behind the column and waited. "NOW!"

The Wraith started to turn towards us, but its back was still largely exposed. The giant white ghost moaned loudly as Red used a fencing skill that involved a combination of thrusts and slashes. The ghost was fully turned around when it brought down its humongous arm. I was already covering for Red though, I stabbed upwards, stopping the attack. I could see it had a slowed status now.

"I'll cover you. GET IT!"

Red recovered from his action pause and returned to attack the Wraith from all sides. Whenever the thing went to attack I would Shift with him. The Wraith took a surprising amount of time to beat. When we did I got a brief notification. It must have dropped something. Red was about to move on, he didn't seem to register any change. This was another thing about the game, when you obtained an item you have to check your menu to see what it was, so keeping it secret from partners was easier than when you do a quest. Sharing dropped loot depended on you, even though it belongs to you.

"Hey." Red turned to me.

"The Wraith dropped something."

I opened my menu and allowed him to see it. It was armor. _Leather chest guard_. It was categorized a bit higher than normal leather armor.

"Do you want it?" I ask as I hit the _next_ arrow.

The next item was a set of gloves. _Padded fists. _It seemed like a decent pair of gloves.

"Those." Upon hearing his voice I had my doubt again.

"Hmm...I've been wondering Red."

He looked at me, I think. The shadows made by the hood blocked me from seeing his face, plus the dungeon was dimly lit.

"Are you a girl?"

There was a pause of a few seconds before Red took off his hood. Er, her hood. She had golden-red hair and an innocent look in her golden eyes. And she was beautiful. I suddenly wanted to ask why would someone like her be doing in a dangerous place like this. But then I realized she probably didn't like getting patronized because of her gender anymore than I did getting patronized by my appearance. She pulled on the hood. I remembered what I was doing and opened the trade window.

"You said the gloves right?" I saw her hood move, a nod.

She accepted the trade and we continued. Eventually we took a sharp turn and found ourselves in front of a large door. It was two slabs of black metal with a rose motif. We then waited for Klyle and Eld to arrive. They ran up to us huffing and puffing.

"Slow...(wheeze)...slow down!" Klyle said in between gasps.

"Come on, this is it." Eld said while wiping some sweat off his brow.

He shoved us out of the way and pushed apart the doors. It was dark, until Eld stepped into the room. The walls, floor, and ceiling turned into multicolored lights of stained glass. It was a beautiful thing to see. But they revealed something horrific. Its name was _The_ _Mummified Banneret._ The thing looked like a giant knight with bits of armor missing on its upper arm, lower leg, and head. Where flesh was supposed to be there was only bandages and red eyes. We stopped. It was a level fifteen monster.

"What the devil." Eld said as he took a step back.

I didn't hesitate. I put on my newly acquired leather armor and did a double check on my equipment.

"This will get us killed but–" Eld charged in before Klyle could finish his sentence.

"HAAAAAAAAA!" Eld leapt at the boss.

I watched in awe as the giant drew a two handed sword from its side. It glistened a sickly green color and then glowed.

"NO!" I yelled, and gladly, Eld tripped.

The air above him was cut by the _Ankle Breaker _two-handed sword special attack.

"For freedom!" Klyle yelled and joined Eld on the front lines.

Red and I had a bit more sense.

"Damn." I sent a rapid message requesting back up in the boss room.

"They're idiots!" I yelled as Eld stabbed into the thing's knees. He was kicked asides and I saw a full quarter of his health disappear. I felt a cold chill up and down my back.

"I got you covered." Red said as she caught up with me.

I nod and see it ready another _Ankle Breaker_. I tackle Red down as the two-hander roars inches from my head. I sit up and see it take a great step forward. I flinched as I expected the kick to connect. But I hear grunts instead. I open my eyes and see the tank pushing the foot back.

"Come on kid! Pick yourself up." I stand as I see his health halved.

I lunge forward and see something. It raised its sword again, another special attack. I didn't have any other choice. I used _Crescent_ to match the blow. The power of the boss was intense. I was awed, even this special was easily deflected by its attack. My health dropped by a third. The only good thing that came of this was that Red was able to get a strike in during the action pause of the enemy. She used the fencing special attack that she first used against the Wraith. The boss moaned before I saw its sword was swinging. Red recovered in time to duck.

"SHIFT!" She yelled and leapt back from a downward strike.

I took her place and slashed at its wrist. Eld backed me up and used _Rivet_ on its knee. I leapt back as the thing recovered. I risked a glance at its four health bars. I shouldn't have glanced. I might have hoped that our attacks had done something considerable. But instead barely a tenth of its first health bar was down.

"This will take forever." Eld said as he repeatedly stabbed into the boss's leg.

I rushed forward and stunned the boss, Eld retreated and I continued my attack on its legs. My health was regenerating rapidly as I continued my solo assault.

"SOL!" Red yelled. I glanced behind me and saw her. Then I looked up.

The sword came down at the exact same moment.

"GYAH!"

Dust rose around me as the sword scraped along the ground. My health was at a tenth of what it was full. Which meant I was dangerously close to dying. The boss was about to attack again when someone got its attention. Red helped me out of the crater and gave me a heal potion. I chugged the drink that reminded me of salt water. My health rose to forty percent.

"Thanks." I said as I stood up shakily.

She helps me up and then dashes towards the boss. I take a thirty second breather before rushing forward. We had taken away maybe half its health bar in thirty minutes. The reinforcements might be close.

"ELD!" I yelled as we rolled away from another powerful strike.

"I'll kick your ass for this later!" He smiled at me.

"Then let's get this thing down to nothing."

He used _Back Breaker_ and chipped a good fifth out of the boss's health bar. But a fifth of one bar isn't enough. I got a message, it opened in a corner of my vision. I read it quickly.

"GUYS!" They leapt away from the boss.

"Ten more minutes until the others arrive for support." Red nods, Klyle seems relieved, Eld has a complicated expression.

Then we return to the fight. We finally drop the first health bar into the red. Klyle is by my side.

"Watch for anything. They can switch up on you all of a sud––" I watched shocked.

Eld kicked him. Kicked him hard. Klyle skidded and stopped right in front of the boss. The boss roared, it bandages strained as the muscles underneath grew. Klyle looked up and raised his shield. I saw it too, the over head special. I also saw it connect, how sparks flew before Klyle's shield split and the blade buried into him. I watched his health deplete, completely. I was shocked. No, I was stunned. A knife came from my side, "W-what?"

Eld grinned at me and gave me a wink. The mummy came at me. I strained for a moment. In my hand I held a teleport stone.

"Ba–" Eld kicked me to the ground and the crystal skittered away.

"Naughty naughty." He said.

"Eld! What the Hell!?" Red yelled as the mummy closed in.

"Oh I'm just gauging the opponents power." I saw the boss get within range.

"B-bastard!" I yelled and slowly, slowly got onto my hands and knees.

The stun status was about done, Eld had moved to a safe distance, I would only have a handful of seconds. I recovered from the stun status and threw up my sword. A thrusting special, _Impale_. The word, the very name of the skill was the simplest description of it. The light at the tip of the blade collided with the stronger two-handed sword and there was a flash of light. We recoiled, the boss was stunned. In that instance several things happened. The reinforcements arrived, Eld cursed and lunged for me, and the monster bellowed. The one thing I failed to perceive was Red. She dashed between the boss's legs and parried Eld's strike. Then she shoved me out of the way as the boss readied another strike. Eld and her separated at the last moment as the sword came down. Eld rolled and grabbed my teleport crystal. He disappeared. I snarled, Sid at my side.

"Come on Sol." He helped me up as the boss roared again.

"Don't get within range, its downward swing killed a tank in one blow."

That rattled them. The fourteen clearers, including Sid and a new guy.

"Alright! Form up, surround it!" They had the most agile guys up and front.

The heavy tanks, three of them, were in position to stop any of the normal attacks.

"When it kicks it can reduce a guarding tank's health by half. But its left wide open!"

I started remembering all sorts of things about its attack pattern.

"It starts off its basic combo with a spread attack! Duck or block with a skill!"

A few front-liners leapt away. Red appeared at my side. Her foil ready.

"It roars to signal the strong attack!" I rushed forward as the thing lifted its sword from the floor.

"And its open for a few seconds!" I hacked away at its leg.

Red taking the other leg. As did the six other front-liners. Slowly, painstakingly slowly, we chipped away at its health. We got it to half of its second bar within ten minutes. Then it switched up its strategy. It roared and smashed its sword into the ground once. Sending us sprawling with moderate damage from the shockwave.

"WHAT!?" The sword had shattered, becoming smaller.

"Its using a one-hander now!" I yelled as I charged in first.

The thing roared and slammed its foot down, I rolled forward and cleared it. Turning I used _Crescent_ and then hacked away. I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I leapt to back to late. A giant hand clapped me on the side hard. I rolled for thirty feet. I glared at the thing, something bubbling up from within me. I then rushed it again. I ignored my health for a moment. I only wanted to delete that thing. Delete it? No. This was the new reality. I wanted to _KILL_ it!

"HAAA!" I jumped over a low sweep of the new blade and rolled right under it.

I attacked its ankles again. Relentlessly. My body sped up, time slowed down. _Faster!_ I put more weight into my swings. I used _Impale_ to skewer its knee. Then its unarmed hand came and knocked me away. I rolled near the reinforcements. My health dangerously red. I was about to charge in again until Sid stopped me.

"Enough." He said as the others charged.

Slowly I saw them break the second bar, then halved the third bar.

"HAHHHHHHH!"

I lunged forward and blocked the downward strike from it, the strongest attack its shown so far. My replenished health dropped a bit after our specials collided.

"GO!" The recoil stunned it for a handful of seconds.

I recovered first as the attackers had at it. With several people attacking at once its health dropped quickly. A red hood slipped in between players and delivered a blow that glowed bright orange. There was a loud impact sound and the boss roared from within its bandages. The last of its third health bar disappeared, leaving only a handful of dots. The thing beat its chest and stomped the ground. We retreated from it as its frenzy continued. But I didn't, I charged in. I dodged its first strike and ran along the length of its blade. Red rushed towards me. I stabbed the boss in its eye and destroyed its third health bar. Final one! We rushed in, disregard for its attacks which missed now as it howled in pain. I was relieved to see it fall, its sword discarded. It health was halved, then a third remained. Finally, another thirty minutes and it was at an eighth of its health. It flung out its arm and shoved us back. The bandages over its mouth fell away revealing the fangs. It roared once.

"COME ON!" E-stone yelled.

I joined his charged and we rushed the boss. But it switched its strategy again. It lunged forward, Red was closest. I shoved her out of the way, and it grabbed me instead. It lifted me up and stomped as it rammed me into a wall. The players were stunned on the ground as I was slowly squeezed.

"AHHHHHH!" The pain was to real.

My health was dropping steadily. My sword arm was pinned at my side, I was dead.

"GAHHHHHH!" The thing applied more pressure.

I saw players slowly recover. Slowly.

"ARGHHH!" The thing breathed out into my face.

I saw a lone red hood dash forward and begin attacking. The stun status had yet to fade but she was pushing herself to the breaking point and attacking. Then I realized I wasn't about to give up either.

"HAAAA!" I repeatedly slammed my fist into the boss's face.

"COME ON!" I yelled as my fist glowed, the special _Shatter._

Coincidentally Red also used a special and both our attacks combined to wipe out the last of its health thanks to our linked bonus.

"Sol...Sol." I woke up slowly.

The clearing group was resting around me. My health was slowly climbing through the yellow zone.

"..." I wasn't able to speak. I simple blinked up at the ceiling for a moment.

"Ah..."

"What?" Sid and Red got closer to hear me.

I scrunched up my face.

"ACHOO!" I bolted upright as I sneezed.

My body hurt terrible after sneezing like that, sending pain up and down my body.

"It hurts to much for me to be dead." I said finally.

Then E-stone laughed. It spread. Then we cheered. "One down!"

Sid said proudly.

"Yeah." It was a start. In just two weeks we found the first boss on the largest tier of the game. It should take a lot less from now on.

"Yeah. We sure did." Then it was a small celebration.

Finally we were standing.

"So...what now?" I looked around, what now.

"I'd don't really know. Isn't there a door, or staircase? Something?"

Then I saw it. There was a blue crystal in the middle of the floor. I hadn't been paying much attention but I was sure that wasn't there before the fight.

"Maybe this is it." I kneeled down and touched the crystal.

It glowed and blinded us. I blinked away the light. A column was shooting from the crystal, like a teleporter.

"I see." I turned. "Let's go onto the next tier."

I stepped onto the crystal and teleported. The meadow of the next floor was full to the brim with flowers. I waded through them as I saw a small ruined dais. I touched it, an option appeared. _RESTORE?_ I looked over my shoulder as the others showed up. I hit the yes option. The dais glowed and became whole. That light washed over us all. Sending ripples over the landscape as it changed. The numerous flower petals in the wind blinded us and when we looked again we were in the middle of a town. I was standing in the center of the plaza, where players teleport to.

"Well that was fun." I take two steps from the center of town and slip. My head cracks hard against a pillar and I let myself pass out.

"..." The darkness was comforting. I was resting here, nestled in a place where no harm could get at me. But slowly the light came, ignoring my desires it showed me _that_ room again.

"Thomas." I turned to look at _him_.

"Its a really amazing place. I wish you'd get your own interface."

I cast my eyes down. "I hope so too Cooper. I hope so." He laughs.

"Don't worry, when that game comes out you and me will beat it. The ultimate team." I smile sadly.

He always was a dreamer. "Oh well, its that time. I'll see you later friend."

I blink at the harsh light.

"Wha–" A hand on my head.

"You are some kind of stupid." Red says before leaving me.

I sit up in bed. The inn room was dimming oh-so slightly as time past. I had a message appear in front of me. A friend request. I would have denied it. I should have denied it. It was the most logical choice. I only had one other person on my friend's list. Sid, I owed him that much and he called on my help every so often. I let my finger hover over the _NO_ button. I blinked a few times as a frail hand patted my own hand.

_Friend_.

I close my eyes and tap a button. When I open it again the notification that I had accepted her request appeared. I was going to regret this, not now, or soon, but eventually accepting friends was going to destroy me. I let myself fall back onto the pillow, my eyelids were heavy. So that's that.

The new town was called Ala. It was full of birds and an angel motif was on everything. It was a bright town, with a growing population. I sold my old equipment to replace them with higher grade stuff. Although I kept the leather chest guard. It was still higher level than most of the armor on sale. The field was a large flat plain, a few jungles could be seen out in the distance. This was a mostly peaceful level. That was a problem. Peaceful meant more contending for monsters to fight. I sigh and start to explore the area. I see a few parties running around, training or something. I walk for seven hours to get to a distant village. An old man had a quest icon above his head. I went over to talk to him. Long story short I found myself climbing up a tree some hours later.

"It'd be easy. Yeah right." The jungles were filled with several difficult monsters to beat.

I had become level eleven in that time. And it had better be worth it. While my health might have been full I felt tired. That was the thing about this game. You worked yourself and felt fatigue. You only feel refreshed after at least five hours of sleep. The same applied for hunger. Over time you felt hungry, so naturally you ate. It has nothing to do with your situation in the real world and it wasn't possible to die from lack of sleep and hunger. Supposedly. I finally reached the top of the tree and looked around. Jungle in every direction. I was suppose to find a spirit here, obtaining its power to help me go kill off something or another that threatened the village. I turned around and was face to beak with the mother of all buzzards.

"AHH!" I reeled and in an instant I was airborne.

Its talons gripped me tight as we soared around the jungle. I struggled and saw my health border the yellow. _Great Gatsby I'm going to die!_ I hadn't even finished that book. I struggled still as I saw a clearing of destroyed trees. The buzzard dropped me onto the clearing and landed a few yards behind me. I crawled, I'm not afraid to admit, into a hollow tree. The buzzard attacked the fallen tree with me in it. That thing was very strong and I doubt I would survive against it. I felt something, wet and cold against my neck. I swallowed dryly as I turned. The first thing I saw were legs and a white dress. There was a natural shelf along this side of the tree. A girl was there. And she was sobbing quietly. I backpedaled a little to give her some room. She kept crying as the buzzard made the tree creak. I swallowed and waited for five minutes. Then I took slowly spoke to her. She looked at me with teary, red eyes and hugged me. Being in this situation made me highly uncomfortable, then I saw something that wasn't suppose to be there. Leaves, the girl had leaves growing from her hair. I don't mean stuck in but growing from. I remember the quest.

"A-are you the spirit of the forest?" She nods into my shoulder as the tree cracks.

"The roc." She whispers in between sobs.

A rock? "W-what rock? Can it kill the big bird?"

The tree is lifted into the air and I feel gravity shift. I land on my back with the spirit on top of me.

"Its here, the Roc." A large crack in the tree trunk shows the light outside. Then a beak is forced between and the crack turns into a large hole. The buzzard is called _Roc_, I somehow recall something from the Arabian nights. As the giant beak stabs into me.

"Alright, Alright. Settle down now." **Second tier strategy meeting, three days after first floor clearing.**

"Now. from what the scouts have said the boss had a giant bird, called the Roc, guarding it. The Roc attacks with its beak and talons as the boss, _The Headhunter,_ uses a spear to attack for the first two health bars."

Looking around E-stone suddenly felt a bad feeling in his gut. Like a monster from the field, but those couldn't get into a town's safe zone. He shivered and continued.

"Mickey, take the tanks to draw its attentions. It had weak piercing power so a shield wall should stop its attack dead."

A heavily armored man nods. "After that, the third and final health bar has it switching styles. It'll break off the spear head and use it as a knife. We almost lost a few guys because it attacked so quickly."

E-stone heard something in the distance, he felt he was just imagining it. "But the boss is not the real issue. The Roc is. It nearly wiped out the first two teams."

A few of the clearers nodded, remembering the fight. "And when the boss is low on health the Roc will carry it away to the far end of the battlefield and guard it while the boss heals. That thing has a lot of range to it so we need to have a few agile guys distracting it. If we beat the boss the Roc will most likely die as well––"

He heard it then, a clear screech. The now nineteen clearers all stood and looked up. "What the hell. Its the Roc!"

They drew their weapons as the giant buzzard was above them. It screeched at them as it descended rapidly.

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Someone yelled, E-stone thought it might have been himself.

But then they realized it, the Roc wasn't attacking, it was falling. It crashed a few meters away from the meeting. Its wings broken and its health almost completely gone. A comet of blue and black came from above. The jet engine sound made them cover their ears. The Roc arched its back and exploded into a mass of feathers. The black feathers mixed with the scrubbed data and polygons as the clearing group gawked. There was a single kneeling figure in the middle of the feathery storm. He stood and sighed. The feathers disappeared as he sheathed his sword. He opened his menu and equipped something. It was a coat. It went down past his knees and seemed to have been made with black feathers lining the interior of it. The hood and collar was lined with white feathers, that was it. He cracked his knuckles and said quiet loudly.

"The chicken is fried." He stood there, Sol.

Two meters outside the city's safety zone.

"What!"

Was the general reaction as a high level wooden monster known as the _Impachi_ rushed out of the woods. Its claw like hands raked along his flank, that would have been a devastating blow. Even a level sixteen tank would have lost an eighth of his health from a single hit like that. Sol cocked his head at the Impachi as his fist glowed. Then it was a blinding beam of light, flying through the air at least nine times. The Impachi shattered from the special. Which seemed highly improbable. A fight against an Impachi usually took twenty minutes of fierce fighting. He took it down with a single special.

After using the unarmed special _Phalanx_ I rubbed my sore shoulder. I noticed the clearing group.

"Sorry I was late. Damn bird kept me occupied." Fighting it over three days does that.

I felt tired, starved, but I was euphoric. I kept my expression composed and blank though. If not I would have been laughing like an idiot.

"SOL!" E-stone yelled.

"Just what in Hell did you do?" I had done a lot. Running. Hiding. Attacking. More running and hiding.

"What does it look like?"

"Looks like you took down the Tier boss's bloody turkey!" Boss's...Then the Roc was a boss servant.

"Huh. I should have expected that." I strode over towards them.

The Roc's coat wrapped around me. "Well you have some explaining to do––"

I opened my menu and hit a few buttons. E–stone received it. "What the hell?"

It was map information. "That's the location of the Roc nest. Its full of at least seven hatchlings. They pack about as much wallop as an Impachi but are much more weak health wise. They give a ship load of experience to boot." E–stone gawks.

"And they have a decent respawn rate. A perfect level grinding area." I pat him on the shoulder before I go sit on a stone bench.

"Wait." I was already asleep.

I came around half an hour later. Yawning I stand, the group was organizing for a grinding session.

"Yo!" I walk over to E–stone.

"Come on, tell us how you did it." I yawn.

"I haven't slept in three days, I haven't eaten in two. It took that long for me to do this quest. After getting stuck inside a hollow tree the Roc stabbed me with its beak." I wipe so sleep from my eyes.

"It nearly killed me as I bolted. I crawled over its feathery head and ran like there was no tomorrow. As far as I was concerned there wasn't going to be a tomorrow." I stretch a bit.

"Long story short I ended up at the Roc nest we a third of my health and no more healing draughts. Then I found I had a Health gem and survived the Hatchling mob. Barely. The Roc appears with an enraged buff. Its easier to avoid but hits harder. I grabbed onto its back and used it as a taxi."

I drew my sword and checked out all the nicks and cracks on it. "I spent two hours stabbing that thing's back. Its the only place that it can't reach, even then it nearly threw me off. I finally got its health low and you know the rest."

I flicked the edge of my weapon with my finger. A crack appeared and my blade broke off at the hilt. I stared dumbfounded at the broken weapon in my hand. An option appeared. _Discard/Store/Scrap_.

"Screw it." I hit the scrap button and the sword turns into two bars of metal that go into my inventory.

"I'm done." I walk away from the clearing group. Unarmed, tired, hungry, and disappointed.

"Wait. We need to organize a...To hell with it." E-stone calls to someone.

"Make sure he doesn't knock himself out again."

Ala's inn was relatively slow today. Not many people were here. I rented out another room and slept for at least five hours. Waking up I indulged in one of the few luxuries of the game, a hot bath. I rested in the bath, my head above water level. It took me a while before I finished my R&amp;R. The city was darkening for the night time. Lights were turned on, fireplaces lit. The city looked impressive at night. Especially with a the bustle of players filling it now. I felt someone loop their arm with mine.

"You must be starved." Red says as she leads me over to a bench.

She doesn't know the half of it. I was tempted to eat some raw meat I had gathered from the first floor. Sitting on the bench Red stuffed a sandwich into my mouth. I nearly broke down and sobbed right there and then as I hungrily ate. I thanked her greatly.

"Don't mention it." She says as we look at Central plaza.

Slowly the colors and moving people blend and blur. I guess I needed more than a few hours of sleep for the three days I've lost. The last thing I saw was red cloth.

Meanwhile, in real life. A monitor was on across from him. Showing him leaning his head on Red's shoulder. He was blissfully asleep in both worlds now. His sister held his hand tight. Not to tight but enough.

"Come home. Please."

His monitors beeped a bit, showing a slight change. His I.V bag was still up to the brim since it was just recently switched.

"Just come home."

On his sister's phone she had made a shortcut to the new Dæmonica website, it had been repurposed to allow you to see your family members. To see them out in the fields. Fighting against the system, dying sometimes. But it was for a purpose. It was to show the outside world that these people were trying, they weren't just waiting, they were climbing back from Purgatory. This was the way to discourage people who might want to pull the plug on them. It worked so far. And there was even a special channel now, just for viewing special events and players. Sol was among them. The company was facing several suits but nothing definitive would shut down this channel. Especially because of the first boss battle. Don't you just love America. Freedom of speech and all that.

Another week past, a full seven days since the end of the first boss battle and we were arming for the second one. Arming, ironic. I was missing a sword. The dagger was fine and all but...it just wasn't a sword. I leaned against a pillar.

"The last scout party said that the Roc hasn't returned yet. This is our chance."

They were all around level eighteen at least now. Their armor had also been upgraded. "Alright. You okay there Sol?" I nod.

I partied with Red and Sid. We were fifteen clearers again. A few of the clearers stayed behind. To tired from the last scout run.

"Alright, tanks ready." The six guys raised their shields.

"Point group." Another six guys, that included E-stone, gave a cheer.

"Er. Miscellaneous." I sighed out loud.

We were here as back up. Sid was main damage dealer, Red and I were bait. "Okay. Ready."

We shake hands for a minute before pushing through the doors. Immediately the boss room became active, illuminated. I saw it, _Headhunter._ It looked like one of the hunter-gatherers from the history books. Instead of a human face it had a falcon head. It gave a screeching cry.

"ATTACK!"

The shield wall moved swiftly. Blocking the rapid spear. The point group flanked it and hacked away at its health.

"Well. This is slightly disappointing." Sid said as he slung his axe onto his shoulder.

"Yeah." The boss did a spread attack and knocked back a few clearers.

"Well lets give it hell." I was at the rear as we charged.

Being unarmed has its advantages. Being more agile for one. I leapt back as the spear was driven into the floor in front of me. I dashed forward and used _Phalanx_ on its leg. Taking out the last of the first health bar. In thirty minutes we took it down to the red of its final health bar. It was really vengeful now. It prioritized me over most of the others. Was it because I had taken down the first health bar, I killed its pet chicken, ahem, Roc? Or did I simple draw the short end of the stick here and become a target for it. In my lapse of concentration I slipped.

"Oops." I say on the way down.

I look up at the boss as the knife comes down. My hands glow as I slam them together. _Blade-Catch_, the guard type special. The glow dims slightly as the blade inches closer to my throat.

"Someone kill it!" It finally took three guys to chip its health away.

I lay sprawled out on the floor. Panting as my health climbed up from the yellow. Then the cheers came.

"Phew." I sat up and rubbed my head.

That wasn't nearly as bad as the first boss. But it still took a while to kill. I stretch a bit as I stand. E-stone was next to me. He clapped me hard on the back.

"Good show!"

He was the guy who landed the final hit on the boss. He held a longsword now. He seemed a bit clumsy with it.

"Look at it! Its amazing."

"Maybe you should learn the skill first."

He laughs and an odd look crosses his face.

"What?" He falls. Three daggers in his side.

I stare wide eyed, his health was still in the green and wasn't dropping either. I looked around.

"GAHHH!" Another clearer fell, paralyzed.

"What? Where?" I see it. By the door.

The familiar skull like helmet. "ELD!" I see a red hood fall to my right.

Then a numbness appears below my heart. I strain to move my head, to look at the knife sticking out of my chest. I totter, my paralyzes not as bad as the _severe_ paralyzes of the others. Eld takes his time weaving in between the downed clearers.

"Hello." He says to me as he steps on Sid's head. I feel horror and dread. I had pushed that image of him killing his comrade to the deepest corners of my memory. It came back now, I felt the blood drain from my face as he grabbed my throat and dragged me towards the teleporter.

The familiar field of flowers. The ruined dais. Eld sticking his knife in and out of my shoulder. I twitched and gritted my teeth as he looked at me. The madness radiated from his eyes.

"Do you know how hard it is to kill off someone?" He asks as he buries the knife into me.

"Its damn hard. Doing this _God's_ work." I wanted to kill him then.

"It takes planning. Sometimes. But I regularly find myself just stabbing them to death with the urge to die overpowering them."

He pulled the knife straight up and out of my shoulder. "But you...Your different. Whenever someone was facing something impossibly difficult while nearly dead they gave up. Your different. The Roc should have killed you. The hatchlings should have killed you. I should have killed you during that first boss fight."

My mouth was numb but I formed a few simple words. "Bastard...why...did...you.."

He kicked me hard. "Because I can. Do you honestly think if we die in this world we'd die in the real one."

I stayed quiet.

"See. I'm just doing a service. And if I can get a bit of satisfaction from it then so be it."

He was a psychopath. He was most definitely a murdering, insane player. I felt my fear rise in my throat.

"Ah, well that was fun. Time to send you onto the next world." He raised his dagger and it glowed bright orange.

My health was in the yellow. But if it was a dagger special, I might really die. "Good-bye."

E-stone's new longsword took off Eld's arm at the elbow. I stared in disbelief. Eld just howled as he leapt at the clearer. E-stone kicked him back and Eld took out a few throwing knives. I winced as I lunged at Eld. I shoved him back and grabbed onto something from his waist. A sword. I pull it free and see a small notification that I _stole_ it. The knives bury into me as I swing the sword. Its a poor quality one that would break against an Impachi, but it was more than enough for this. I swung it and knocked Eld down. His helmet was cracked and the sword broke off at the tip.

"Dammit!" He took out a teleport gem and escaped as the clearers surrounded us.

Then I just stood, rigid from the paralyzes I had been fighting hard just to move.

"Here." Someone tips an antidote into my mouth. In a moment the paralyzes passes and I'm on the ground.

"Damn. We need to get that bastard!"

E-stone activated the dais and helped me stand.

"How did you recover?" He showed me his gloves.

After opening the stat window he showed me how it contributed a fifteen percent increase to the recovery of ailments.

"Thank god I also had just drunk an antidote, the effects were just starting to wear off when I got paralyzed."

I slump a little bit. Quoting E-stone, "Damn. We need someone to get that bastard."

E-stone ordered two clearers to go off and spread the word. There was a criminal in Dæmonica. His name was Eld. As the NPCs spawned I let E-stone continue on his way. I limped to the nearby inn and fell into bed moments later. The eyes of a murderer stared at me in my dreamless sleep, I was sure of it.

**Tier 7 Mythril Land of stone and magic steel.**

Its been about three months now since the Eld incident at the second tier boss fight. We had made decent progress in advancing up to this point. I was doing a bit of treasure hunting. I had bought a new sword shortly after I woke up in the inn. It was called _Fellen Sabre._ It was my first time wielding a saber class weapon. They were faster than the short-swords, lighter than single handed long-swords, and dished out only a moderate amount of damage. It was a low level weapon, the seventh floor probably had several swords that were stronger but after the fifth boss fight I decided I'd keep it for a bit. I had been thinking of upgrading after the tenth floor. But that was still a ways away. But I had stumbled across someone after the sixth floor boss fight. A player blacksmith. The NPC blacksmiths had only the barest ability in that skill, this player was among a new class. After a quick conversation and exchange of Lire, I had finally figured out the name for currency, and some ores I had an upgraded sword. It changed after the tenth time I upgraded it. _Fellen __Zweihänder_. A sword that reminded me of a great-sword a few players had. Luckily for me I learned a new thing that day. Brands. A weapon brand precedes the name. Fellen weapons were meant to be wielded with one hand or as a one and a halfer. The _Zweihänder_ was modeled on the great sword of the same name but of a generic brand, a nameless brand, the Fellen sword was a long-sword. A one-and-a-halfer. I practiced a little two-handed swordsmanship by using the new sword. It was tricky to use as a two-hander for an extended period but for quick specials or sudden two-handed blows it was ideal.

I tapped a wall. It sounded oddly hollow. I used a two-handed skill, _Helm split._ It was a quick downward slash. The wall cracked and crumbled. Just an empty room. I continued into the dungeon. These hidden rooms spawned randomly and refilled every so often. I stopped at a junction. Four halls, I had come from one of them. I took a second to decide, and in that frozen second I heard it. The clinking of metal and the sounds of fighting. I heard crashing, a death sound effect. I ran hellbent towards this. The corridor was long and had broken walls every so often. But it was at the end that I found the source of the sounds. Little more than ten players were going head to head against Sub-bosses, _Vault-Keepers._ The stone statues had high health and attacks to match. The players were all in the yellow, some in the red.

"Reese! Cover the left!"

Reese.

A bulky shape charged to the left flank where a lot of weakened players were. I caught a glimpse of his face for a minute.

"Reese." I said again, not believing it.

A sub-boss raised its large arm.

"GET DOWN!" I yelled as I lunged forward.

The players looked at me as I rushed past, the Roc coat billowed in my rush. I used _Impale_ to stop the attack that would have been lethal to most of them.

"Get out, I'll cover you."

I used throwing knives to get the sub-bosses to follow me to the far end of the chamber. I saw several of them approach the doorway. One girl stayed to watch, she watched with wide-eyes. I backflipped away from a charging _Vault-Keeper._ It slammed into the wall and stunned itself. I climbed its back and stabbed repeatedly into the single eye on its forehead, a critical spot. It took ten minutes before a second sub-boss grabbed me and hurled me across the room. I hit the wall next to the door and watched my health go red. She was there, her boot a mere three feet away. She had four throwing knives in either hand, the weakest enemy lumbered forward. In a blur she threw the eight blades. They buried into the eye, sending the thing falling as I watched in awe. Its health had been yellow, almost red, now it was dispersing. Dead. Throwing knives rarely did damage, but she just took it down with eight of them.

"Come on." She helps me stand and we rush through the door.

"SHUT IT NOW!" Someone yells.

The heavy doors groan behind me and then shut. I huff and wheeze on the floor.

"Thanks." A voice to my left says.

"That was stupid." I say as I stand.

"You don't just go in all out when the door is heavily decorated." They blinked and shuffled their feet.

"You're to under leveled to be exploring this place."

"But the skull guy said that this was a perfect grind area." I looked at Reese.

"You mean a guy with a skull helmet?" He nods then blinks.

"That guy lied to you, for some reason or another he sent you up here and probably was watching you guys getting beaten."

"Thomas." I look to my left.

She realized it. "Its you isn't it Tom?"

I don't know how to respond. "Yeah."

Then there was a bombardment of disbelief.

"Wait Tom? As in Tom!"

"No way."

"WHAT?!"

I shuffled my feet embarrassed. These guys were all friends of mine, in the real world, from Pre-K through to before the game. I had slowly grown on them and they involved me more and more till we were friends. Right now they rushed me.

"TOM!" I smile shyly at them.

Then I realized they had an icon over their health bars. A guild icon.

_Don't do it._ Something in me warns.

_You'll just hurt._ I wanted to think it was right. I wanted to accept that...but...

"We've been looking for you since day one!" I can't help it. I go with them.


	3. phase 02

**A/N––Another chapter here. I'm thinking that my updates will become pretty erratic later but for now I'll try to get them up asap. Still hoping for some critique on how I write. But I guess no news is good news. I hope that someone can PM me about anything they'd like to see. After all we're on tier seven of a 100 tier campaign. Best wishes, with white feathers.**

Phase 02 The Alliance of White Wings.

We spent a good long time at a restaurant in Ala, the second floor. Having a nice long reunion. We talked about everything.

"I'm glad your safe."

Reese said as he slapped my back with enthusiasm.

"Man what would we tell your sister if..." There was a frozen silence filled only by the crowd and our eating.

"Is she here?" I dreaded the answer.

"No, thank god no. She was going to–"

"I remember now." I tell him.

It was a vague memory, from that other life. "I remember now."

I couldn't help but suppress the smile and tears that came to mind from that memory.

"Yeah." I take a long drink of the coffee, I think its coffee, beverage and slam the glass down.

Then its back to less serious topics. "Well its nice to see you all in one piece."

"Amen." They gave a small cheer before our second course arrived.

"So now that I'm thinking about it."

I looked at them all, the twelve of them. Reese, Jack, Mikayla, Shay, Shiloh, Sim, Burt, Mike, his brother John, Jason, Laura, and Jane. Jane was the one who recognized me first and who destroyed the sub-boss.

"When did you guys start this guild?" Jane gave a slight smile.

Reese laughs, "Well."

Jack starts. "It sorta happened when we found each other in the Starting city. We officially formed around the time the third boss was beaten."

That long ago. Guilds were a relatively new feature that appeared in one of the updates. I remember it now, the slight blur of everything, how enemies disappeared for a few minutes. The update took twenty minutes but it was a noticeable twenty minutes.

"So what name did you get stuck with?"

I had seen some ridicules names, the Savian Liberation Allegiance. The Draconian Order. So on and so on. Its hoped that eventually the guilds can be renamed.

"Well Jane here's the leader. She should be the one who tells you." Jane again.

Back in the real world she was on the cheerleading squad. Her black hair shined slightly when the light hit it. Her eyes looked...as if they'd swallow you. She could understand you, see right through your facade. I knew this to be true, her grey eyes were made for finding out your lies and secrets. She was the worst person you can have as an enemy, and the best person to have as a friend. I was a bit unnerved whenever I met her gaze. It was like she could read me, step by step.

"The Alliance of White Wings." Her voice was cold, as if she suppressed every last bit of emotion.

I didn't doubt that though, she was an incredible person. She was a natural leader.

"That's not to bad a name." I said shifting my gaze back to my food.

"Anyway, didn't you hear. The guy with the Skull mask is a criminal." Reese got a jab in the ribs.

"I kind of figured." Jack, who had jabbed Reese, said.

"When we ran into the four monsters there I thought we were goners."

"You might as well have been. If I wasn't treasure hunting you guys might have gotten wiped out." I saw more than one of them shiver.

"Yeah. But you weren't exactly in the best situation either." Jack reminded me.

"Yeah." Our silverware clinked against plates after a while.

"Phew." I said, reclining in my seat.

Then I was bombarded by requests.

"AH!" My vision was blocked by the sheer number.

They were all friend requests. All twelve of them.

"So we can stay in touch." Jane explained as she sent me hers.

I grumbled a little as I rapidly accepted them all, then I had to clear the notices or else I'd be blinded by the wall of messages.

"Give me some warning will you. I could have walked into a wall." They laughed at me.

I laughed to. It was just like the good old times. In the middle of it I got a message from Red, it was a voice recording actually. "Sol. We're meeting up at the usual place. Sid has a requests."

"Be there in a few." I sent her the response.

"Sorry. Got to fly." I dashed off in a hurry.

Sid got himself a house in Mythril. He turned it into a small café like place. Red and I used it as an unofficial meeting place. Sid had delegated himself as a merchant. He ran the shop and was a fair person to barter with. Or at least to me he was. He doesn't take so much a part in the clearing anymore but any of us front-liners can go there for a good deal or two. I got onto the dais and called out, "Mythril."

I teleported to the city on the seventh floor. It took me a moment to find Sid's house. It was two stories on the outskirts of town. A wooden cottage that could probably accommodate several people should the need arise, especially since it was two stories. The entire ground floor was dedicated to business, tables and a bar were set out and the man himself was there.

"Yo Sid, still alive." It had become a type of unofficial greeting between us.

"Yeah. Business just died down so your in luck." I sat at the bar and tapped the wooden surface.

A menu appeared. Sid leaned over and pointed out a few things.

"This ones a steal, that one is worth the price."

"A business man to the core." I remark as I choose one of his suggestions.

I wait to eat a meal before I ask about his request.

"Order up." He says and I gawk.

I just stare as _she_ puts the plate down in front of me. When I finally close my mouth I turn away.

"What's wrong?" She asks with a bit of menace in her voice.

I had rarely seen Red without her trademark cloak. Now she was dressed as a waitress, serving me food. I had to stifle my laughter as it threatened to bubble up from me. I take a throwing knife and quietly stab my own palm. That calms me down. I turn back to the bar and eat with my eyes concentrating on the things in front of me. The glass of water, my food, the whorls of the wooden bar. Anything but Red. I slowly finish my third lunch of the day. I felt a little sick, maybe I ate to much.

"How was it?" Sid asks further down the bar.

"It was good." I deposit some Lire onto the bar and slide it over to him.

"Keep the change." For letting me see Red like this he could keep the twenty percent.

"Anyway. What do you need me to do?" Red sat next to me as Sid told me what he needed.

"I refuse." I say rapidly.

"You can't. Little Red riding hood made the bet, your bound by honor to pay your half."

A little background on our little wager.

"Whoa!" Sid exclaimed.

"I know. What would you give me for it?" I was trying to sell Sid one of the eagle eggs.

The golden egg had occupied the bottom of my inventory ever since that quest from the first tier.

"You kidding me right? This is an SS–Class Ingredient! Do you know how rare this thing is?" I let him rant on and on about it for about ten minutes.

"Besides, who in the World can cook this high a level ingredient?" It was at that moment that Red jumped in.

"I know a girl." We stared dumbfounded.

"B-but that's nearly impossible. To cook a SS-class ingredient you'd need to nearly max out your cooking."

She nods. "Yeah, I know somebody like that."

Then there was a fierce twenty minutes of bartering. "WAIT!"

Red stopped us. "She might not do it."

We were crestfallen. This egg could make several servings of delicious omelets, or whatever it could be used to make. But then Sid got a brilliant idea.

"I propose," He started off.

"That you get her to cook this egg and you both get a free serving." My mouth watered.

Food, sleep, and a bath. The three luxuries of the game. Supposedly the higher your cooking level the better even simple food tasted.

"But," I would regret this, I would seriously regret this.

"If you can't. Well," What he asked of us was something I refused to do.

"Deal." Red jumped the gun on this.

"H-hold––"

"Alright its settled." They shook hands as I prayed that Red's friend wold cook the egg.

"Let's see what you can do in a week."

Now back to the present.

"Come out now." Sid said outside the door.

"Go to hell." I muttered quietly as I looked at myself in the mirror.

I took a deep breath before opening the door. "You look good. It was worth the twenty-five pieces of Lire and a spear."

Only that. These clothes were the highest grade stuff I've seen so far. They looked a lot like real world clothes.

"I'd never thought I'd see armor like this." Sid shakes his head.

"Its not armor. It just clothes. Uniforms if you want to get technical." I was surprised.

I had never seen regular clothes in this world. "Don't tell me you never realized this was available?"

Asides from clearing and treasure hunting I had very few hobbies in this world. I did like to explore and find perfect napping spots but that never really took me long. i was clueless, sue me.

"Your hopeless." Sid said as he pushed me downstairs.

"W-wait." I didn't want to go down like this.

While you might see me wear something like this in the real world, using it here in Purgatory made me feel...uncomfortable. "Sorry, rules of the bet."

We both stopped at the foot of the stairs.

"W-what." Red asked. Sid chuckled.

I wished I could go back up stairs. "Come on. Smile."

Sid shoved me forward. I stumbled a step or two and stood to one side of Red. "Come on now. You two are going to advertise for me."

He rubbed his hands together, I thought I saw the glint of Lire in his eyes. My imagination no doubt. I toyed with one of the buttons of the long sleeve shirt.

"Come on come on." He would later describe what he did as a friendly push. I'd describe it as more like shove.

Now Red, in a red dress looked down and away from me as she was nudged closer to me. "There, now if you just..."

We ended up holding hands.

"Now."

I took a step back as Sid's hands reach for my head.

"W-wait–" After a few eternal minutes and some quiet threats I have a pleasant smile on my face.

"Good good. Better. Sol, don't act so stiff." It took a long time before Sid deemed us presentable.

"Go. Go my little love-birds." I wanted to smack him hard for that.

We were told to go from tier to tier, discretely advertising for his shop. I felt a dozen sets of eyes bore into me as I walk down the street. Eventually we follow Sid's advice and go to a restaurant. He told me to be less stiff. I think that would be incredible hard.

Brief gossip from the Paper.

Yesterday something highly unlikely happened. Reportedly, a couple was seen in several restaurants, having a good time and comparing the food to that of a player run café on the Seventh tier world. Nothing surprising there...except that it was Red who was seen. The highly popular clearer stunned many by showing off her b––

The paper turned into polygons in Red's hands. I never realized how popular she'd become. From what Sid said she had many fans, even an official fan club. I stifled my laugh as he went onto explain how, according to him, her generosity and bravery made her highly popular. Something about saving a group of players from a strong horde by herself. Now, the idol, was shaking across the table from me. Because of her popularity if she does something that amazes her fans it goes straight into the Paper. She had a lot of fans.

"I'm glad I'm not well known." I receive a kick under the table.

On the bright side Sid has been busy for the past two days.

"Thank you guys." He says as he hurries by us.

"He seems happy." Red's knuckles crack.

"I should hope so. After all the rumors of the beloved Red––" I deserved the next kick I get.

She glares at me from the deep shadows of her cloak. Towards the evening Sid puts two platters down in front of us.

"What's this for?" I eat a little of the omelet.

"Consider it a thank you." I dropped my silverware and felt tears come from my eyes.

"So good." I agreed with Red.

"W-what is this?" I ask wiping a tear away.

"A Hercules omelet." I stare at him.

"You didn't." Red asks with a bit of anger in her voice.

"Your friend is a good chef. She sends her regards."

I see Red's shoulders move. Was she...laughing. I caught a glimpse of her face.

"C-ca-calm down. Calm down Red." She was most definitely not laughing.

"She says she had a great laugh." Sid leaves before Red decides to kill him.

Things seemed to be going great. I had found my friends from the real world. I was making friends in this one. Of course it can't last. But...it wasn't time yet. I'd be given some happiness before they came.

I got a message from the White Wings. "We're going to go through a dungeon. Want to tag along."

It was on the fifth tier. I wondered if they'd be alright. I decided that I'd ditch the strategy meeting and go with them for a bit. I sent E-stone a message with an excuse. I arrive at the dungeon and see no one around.

"Damn." I start to enter but a knife thuds next to my foot. I turn with my sword at the ready.

"Didn't expect you to come." Jane says as she approaches.

I feel something, not hostility per se. But I wanted to run.

"Where is everyone?" She shakes her head.

"Its just you and me Sol." I swallowed.

I called her by her username now. "Okay Diana, what's the matter. Where is the rest of your guild." She gets close to me, I tense up.

Then she walks past. "I think we should have a chat."

I hesitantly follow her into the dungeon. "What is this about?" She's quiet. Eerily quiet.

I see a horde ahead. "Cover me."

She sends me a Link invite. I accept as she charges into the horde. She throws knives faster than I can see. Several _Wendigo_, a gray, humanoid giant, lose a sixth of their health. I charge in and destroy the horde.

"Wait." Jane...Diana is already continuing deeper into the dungeon.

We take down several more hordes of Wendigoes and Wraiths, just like the one from the first tier. Finally the anticipation gets to me.

"What is it?" I stop as I loudly ask her.

She's a few meters away from me. "If you want to know,"

In a split second I'm on the ground with her on top of me. Her knife is against my throat. "I want to know why you didn't tell us about your career as a clearer."

I felt something cold pour into me. "Its not important."

The knife presses a bit into my neck. "Your an idiot. If the others realize that your a clearer they'll have a lot more respect for you." I blankly look at her.

"Don't you want that? They are still over protective of you. They forget that the old you stayed behind with your body. Probably still ho––" My anger flares and I wrestle her off me.

She punches me hard. I blink rapidly to clear my eyes and duck under another blow. I tackle her and pin her to a column.

"..." She looks into my eyes.

Her coldness spreads. "I don't want them to know. I just want things to stay as they've always been."

A corner of her mouth turns up. Then her head slams into mine and I reel. She kicks me down and stands over me. "You're hopeless." She tells me.

"They'd risk themselves because they think your weak and frail. I don't want to have a wipe out because they were being overprotective." I swallow.

"The guild is going to have a go at this dungeon in two days. Come or not we're going to challenge it." I sit up.

"What is it that you want from me?"

"I can understand why you want to keep everything as it was. I really do. But we've both changed here in this death land. What I want from you is to let the others see it. Let them know that they can count on you. That your strong." She pats my head as she heads for the exit.

I think for a while. A message appears. I open it and stand. "We're starting the boss fight in thirty minutes." That's all I needed to hear.

"About time." E-stone says as I arrive.

"Sorry." Is all I say before he tells me to go join the tanks.

"Cover their asses alright. The boss spawns minions like crazy." I nod as he opens the door.

The seventh boss looks like a woman and a bird. She is inside a gilded cage, asleep.

"_The Harpy Queen._"

I say her name and watch as the first seven clearers, all armed with long weapons like spears and pikes. They stab between the bars and wake the boss.

"NOW!" The spearmen fall back and the tanks I rush forward.

The cage shatters and the Harpy Queen dives at the shield wall. Her talons bounce off the armored surface and she falls somewhere behind us. E-stone lead a bunch of damage dealers, including Red, to take the attack. The boss lay stunned while half her health bar was destroyed. She screeched from the floor and several stone warriors appeared.

"Tanks!" I dash ahead of them and destroy a handful of enemies.

The shield wall forms up and they advance towards the boss as she recovers. Another screeching call and enemies formed behind the defensive line. I struggle and distract the Golems as the tanks take the brunt of the boss's blows. Its a tricky victory, we finish after two hours of hard fighting. I dedicated only two blows to the boss. The other clearers can take the credit for this victory. Its probably for the best. I wasn't in this fight. I was somewhere far away...

"Hey Tom." I looked at Cooper.

"Hey." He smiles at me.

"I got past the first tier." He was euphoric.

"That's great Cooper. But I've been wondering," He sits up straighter.

"Why don't you call them floors?" He blinks, then gives me his beaming smiles.

"Because a floor is to small for what Dæmonica is. A tier should be to small a word to describe it as well. I think they should call them worlds. Each world has a sky under it separating the world underneath from the one on top." He seemed to have put a lot of thought into this.

"Even when the worlds grow smaller to the point that you can think of them as tiers or floors," He cups his hands, as if he has something in them.

"They are so beautiful and unique that you can't help but think that its another world."

He pretends to throw what he has cupped in his hands. Outside, as if sensing this, a flock of birds fly by the window.

"And that is why they aren't called floors. Though the other name isn't better either." The clock on the wall chimes.

"Oh, its time again." The light outside becomes blinding.

"I hope we can talk in that world." He says before I wince from the light.

"Hey Sol." I was sitting, slouched slightly forward.

"Huh." Red and E-stone are behind me.

"You lagging or something?" I shrug my shoulders.

"Just had to think." Is all I tell them.

"Come on, they've activated the dais." I stand and join them.

I look back and see Cooper sitting, waving at me. I look forward and see E-stone use the teleporter. When I crane my head to look back, he's not there. I sigh._ I know Cooper. I'm just being difficult._ I step onto the teleporter and move onto the next tier...the next world.

"Alright. Deven, take the right." Reese nods as he realizes that his leader called him by his username.

"Zeke go with him. Silvia, Darius" Jack joins Reese while Mikayla and Shiloh stand straighter.

"I need you to the center."

Jane turns to the left, thinking. "Libra, Thanatos." Shay and Jason start moving.

"Good. Now Amethyst, Nico, cover the rear." Laura and Mike reluctantly take the rear of the formation.

"Ike and Zarroc, you two going to be damage dealers. Take point and be careful." John and Sim nod before spearheading the formation.

Jane looked over at the last tank. "Burrs...Burrs..." Burt sighed.

He drew the short stick this time. "Alright your going with the rear guard as well."

He perked up, no use crying over spilled milk and all that. Jane went over the formation in her mind. Tanks to the left, right, and rear. Partners provided for them. Point team made up of a damage dealer and supporting member. Center group ready to shore up any weakness. Jane glanced at the time in her menu. He's not coming. She took her place with the center group and was about to start moving out when she heard footfalls behind them.

"Wait up!" The carefully made formation broke apart to welcome their friend.

"Sol." Jane regarded him.

He stopped, before nodding once. "Can I be point?" Was all he asked.

After they seemed to reorganize, I joined Sim and John at the front. Or rather Zarroc and Ike at the front. It was a common courtesy not to call people by their real names. Its a painful reminder of what was taken from them.

"Okay. You sure there Tom?" Ike asks.

"I'm sure." We head off.

The hordes appearing a few minutes in. "I got it." Zarroc tries to rush at the first Wendigo when I cut him short.

I lunge forward and stun it. Then I use _Crescent_ to take it down to the red. He finishes it off. I take down the remaining two Wendigoes.

"That's impressive." Ike remarks as he rests his spear against his shoulder.

"Not really." I say as we continue.

I risk a glance at Jane in the center of the formation. She is expressionless. _Isn't this what you wanted?_ I want to blurt out. But as usual the things in my head stay there. We fight our way through the hordes to reach halfway through the maze in just two hours. Its definitely slower than what I could do in two hours. Buts it better. More relaxed. I can rely on these people.

"Alright...we should take the left turn to get there quicker. But its stuffed full of hordes." Jane, no, Diana says as she regards her map.

"Can we risk it?" Silvia asks.

I see her mull it over. "We can. You have two tanks covering the flanks. We won't be so easily overwhelmed that way." Diana nods.

"Well it just comes down to a vote."

"Rejected." Silvia says.

"We're going the short way." I didn't expect her to want to take the harder road after voicing her concern.

"Alright, that's settled."

Moving in a formation, however loose, means moving slow. We walked through the dungeon. But in this hall we dashed. There were several hordes. Almost to many. If I was alone I could have simple avoided most of them or picked them off in isolated areas. Moving as a guild doesn't have that flexibility. But it does give you the chance to completely destroy anything in your path. I tag-teamed a Wraith with Zarroc. It took a few seconds to destroy. We charged through the enemies and whatever came at us from the sides was pushed back long enough for the center group to have at it. The rear guard had their work cut out for them. Several hordes, with fewer monsters in them courtesy of the point team, were chasing after us. A rapier and and saber duo of Amethyst and Nico finished off whatever got to close. And what bypassed them met the tank Burrs. This was an ideal formation. It left very little openings, it maximized the use for individuals, and it prevented anyone from dying. Eventually, after thirty minutes of fighting we were able to clear the hall and reach a designated safe-room. The group collapsed, tired.

"Alright. Who's alive?" I didn't raise my hand.

"Sorry. Can't move my arm." I had a mild paralyze ailment.

"Gah. Get him a potion." Someone stuffed the bottle of antidote into my mouth.

The drink that tasted like lime juice cured my ailment. "Thank you. It was a bit to forceful but thank you."

Silvia took a step back and apologized. We took out healing draughts and continued into the dungeon. The hordes weren't so clumped together now. We took them down at a steady pace, one by one. I was sure I could have cleared the dungeon in no time compared to the guild. But I would rush through it. Missing the treasure and avoiding most of the enemies. We gathered quite a bit of Lire and some decent equipment to look at later. The atmosphere with the group was also different. It was lighter than the clearing group's. I found myself smiling more often. It surprised me that we enjoyed the dungeon clearing, even in this death game. Within the hour we're standing in front of a heavily decorated door. Its not to dissimilar to the tier boss's doors.

"Alright one last check before we go in." We drank some more potions and a few of the others did a few breathing exercises as we prepared to take on the dungeon boss.

"Okay, the boss is a spider monster. It attacks with its front legs, using rapid slashes." This felt oddly like a strategy meeting for the clearing group.

"I want the tanks to man the front lines. Then I want Amethyst, Silvia, and Libra to take the right flank. Its the side it least attacks." I guess if you prep for one boss fight you've prepped for them all.

"Sol, Nico, and Darius take the left. Be careful. It sometimes rushes to the left when it takes heavy damage." Then she looks at the spear users.

"Ike, Zeke, your attacking over the tanks. Stay behind them and duck when the thing screeches." Then Diana's expression softens.

"Take care of me alright. I'll probably be throwing stuff into it until I get knocked down." The planning done we entered the room.

The spider, _Damned Widow_, wasn't to strong. It only had two health bars and the fight in itself took maybe forty minutes. But at the end of it we cheered as if we cleared a tier. Maybe the guild setting wasn't all to bad.

"Now then." Thanatos...No, it was just us friends here. Jason, Reese, and Sim lift me up.

"Three cheers!"

"No, wait!" They tossed me into the air a half dozen times.

I lay sprawled under them all in the end, the cheers turned into a dog pile mess when they got to close together. Jane was on top of the pile. The king of a very lumpy hill.

"Idiots." She said smiling.

"Hey, give me a hand would you."

We returned to town enthusiastic about the successful fight and loot we collected. I separate from the others and hang back with Jane.

"So what are you guys aiming for?" I hadn't bothered to ask them at the beginning.

I assumed they were a treasure hunting guild. "What all players are aiming for. The 100th tier and the Obsidian Blight Palace."

I looked at her. "You guys want to join the clearing group?"

She nods. "Right now we're to under level and inexperienced. We do what we can for the clearing group. Sell them looted weapons at a cheap price, supporting them with some information about grinding areas on lower floors. You get the idea."

I always wondered where we get the info for new grinding places or item harvesting areas came from. "So its guilds like you guys that help us out a lot."

She just stays quiet. "They want you to join the guild."

She says as we approach the town. "Why don't they ask?"

"Because you'll second guess yourself." Jane says immediately.

"From what I've heard your one of the few solos on the front lines. Even for the boss fight you usually go lone wolf for part of it." I never really thought about it.

"And that's not what being in a guild is about. Especially in this game."

She was right. I knew she was right, about it all probably. "We're weaker than you now. You probably could have cleared the dungeon in a fraction of the time it took us. But does doing it solo like that really give you any peace of mind, or joy?"

I just stayed quiet.

The group decided to have a celebratory dinner. Before they could rush to a restaurant I stopped them.

"I know a good place." I shouldn't have done it.

It was probably for the best. But I took them to the seventh tier, to the shop run by one of my few new friends. Sid was about to call out to me when he noticed the others following close behind. He quietly whispered a handful of questions and I gave him rapid answers. When we sat down he personally came over and gave us all suggestions.

"Don't get the omelets. You'll go bankrupt." Is all I contribute.

Sid sighs as he goes back behind the bar.

"Anything new kid?" I open a brief trade window.

"Dinner's on me." I say as I put a few pieces of equipment for sale.

"Come on you don't have to do that Tom." Burt says next to me.

"I want to. Besides we're good friends. He'll cut me a deal." I thought I heard Sid sneeze as I said that.

The chef made all the orders in record time.

"Whoa!" Was the general response at the dishes in front of us.

"Dig in."

I see Burt grab a fork. "Amen to that brother."

The food tasted divine. We laughed. We joked. It was a good place to be. I noticed Sid smile a little as he glanced at me. At the end of the meal I got a special cheers for buying them the food and bringing them here.

"To Thomas. The best friend to have." That might have been a bit much but I appreciated Laura's thought.

After the clinking of glass we left Sid's place. "Alright wonder-boy, any cheap places to sleep?"

I pointed out one and we separated there. "If you need anything message us."

I nod and leave them to rent out rooms.

_Out of all my memories that night was one of my happiest. But it stings now. Because I realize they didn't deserve what they got. And I realize that those moments are never going to happen again._

I woke up in an inn on the eighth tier. I remember back to last night. I realize that I'll need to tell them the truth eventually. They'd be shocked and worry about my safety no doubt. I rubbed some sleep from my eyes as I opened my mail. Around twelve pieces of mail were flashing. I sigh then smile. It was all thank you's and good mornings. I replied to them all and then found a strange one. It was from E-stone. An assembly. This time we gathered inside a large stately house. There was a stage in front of us. E-stone addressed us from it.

"I am sorry to call you all so soon after our boss fight but I got some interesting news." He wasn't smiling.

"Eld has resurfaced among the lower tiers." There was some silent conversation at this.

We clearers had grown to maybe thirty-six players now. Those that weren't there when Eld attacked at the second boss fight were informed of him. "He now has accomplices."

The room turned into a mini-riot that was quickly calmed. "I know. I KNOW!" E-stone's yell got our attention.

After clearing his throat he continued. "Gladly there are a few guilds that are dealing with him. Trying to establish some order."

There were several sighs of relief. "But I'd still like to keep tabs on this. If things get out of hand we might need to go face him ourselves. Also to help these guilds that are fighting against player killers such as Eld we are going to be sharing information with them...so, uh...here is the person helping with the spread of information."

I recognized him as a clearer from the fifth boss fight. He had the beginnings of a mustache and a...mischievous look in his eyes. Other than that he looked like your average internet gamer.

"This is Gent. He'll be an information broker and is willing to run information down about grinding areas and item harvesting places. He represents a guild of brokers, _Argus_, who are gathering information for us." This was news to me.

I had just recently learned we had people contributing to us like information brokers and the like. "For a slight price." Gent added with a slight smile.

So it wasn't volunteer work. Well they should get rewarded for what they do. "This brings up a few new items to notify everyone about..."

E-stone steps down and another player takes the stand. Its Sid. "Hello everyone. Its nice to see everyone in one piece." I grin.

"As you know I left the clearing group to join the merchant class." I noticed an icon next to his name.

It looked like the Lire symbol. A circle with a line going through it, Φ. "And with much work and talking we have formed the first merchants guild. We are _Bazaar_." I smile at the name. Sounded funny.

"As representative of Bazaar I am hear to provide you with reasonable negotiations. We hope to also be able to provide financing for purchasing homes and guild houses in the near future." So they'd double as money lenders.

Well that's nice, I'm sure more than a few clearers have considered starting their own guilds. Having a base of operations would be ideal for them. Another player took the stage.

"H-hello." He didn't seem like the type of person to get nervous.

I got a sudden image of this person in a board meeting, wearing an expensive suit, haggling with six figures to make eight figures in profit.

His name was Al. After a brief coughing fit he addressed us. "I represent _The Dalian League_ of the lower tiers. We are assuring you to leave the lower levels to us. Criminals that steal and threaten players are starting to pop-up. And there is also the threat of Eld and his killing group."

His voice seemed to harden, as if he was back in familiar waters. Negotiating a point and selling it to the masses. "So far we are six guilds, around seventy strong, we are hunting down these criminals and trying to stop Eld."

Then he stood straighter, strength and pride radiated from him. "Trust us, we'll keep the peace."

With that yet another player took the stage. I nearly fell out of my seat. Jane. "I'm Diana." She started.

"I lead a treasure hunting guild, and I have been talking to a few dozen others who would like to see what we can trade to help the clearers. We aren't clearers ourselves but we do take on dungeons that you miss all together to advance the penetration."

With that she opened up a menu and a variety of armaments and armor appeared at her feet. "Consider this the beginning of a beautiful partnership..." She pulled on the hood of her cloak.

"Please." Her tone changed.

"Clear this game." With that there was a rallying cry.

Feet stomped and cheers started. The clearers are invigorated. The clearers are ready. For what? To wage war against the Death game. What better way to rally a male dominated group than having a cheerleader turned guild leader plead with them to win the game. I was certainly moved and wanted to go clear. Then there was a distribution of gear by her. She'd smile and shake hands as she handed out the gear. She skipped me entirely. When E-stone finally managed to calm us all down it was because the various representatives had left, meaning Jane had gone with them.

"Well." He said as he ran a hand through his girlish curls.

"That was something." Then he chuckled.

"Well there you have it. We can't give up now." There was general agreement with him.

Then he had to wait a moment for the voices to quiet down. "Right now, we have another issue at hand." He took out a small greenish cube of light.

"These have been circulated by the Press, the supposed news guild." He tapped the cube and a screen appeared.

I could see it. A fight. A boss fight. _The Mummified Banneret_ was wielding its great-sword as the clearers charged at its legs. "What." I said to break the silence.

"Exactly. We don't know who or how but they have videos of all our boss fights. I'm not sure what to make of this really. If we get wiped out and it circulates..." Then no one will want to fight.

"I'm not sure if we can stop them from doing this either. Pretty much every player gets a copy of the Press or buys these. And the info brokers are working with them, spreading information on useful quests or monsters. Its not that they themselves are wrong but...I want you all to know about this. In case you feel its better not to have our fights out there then we'll go and order the Press to stop."

There was a brief moment of silence. E-stone asked for our opinions and in the end it was decided to let the Press run on as it was. E-stone looked tired. Considering he had been leading the clearing since day one. He was tired. Now two other players took the stand. Each of them were highly respected members of the clearing group. E-stone, Mickey, and Set. Mickey took the hot spot now.

"For what we are here to ask is this." He opened a menu and hit a few buttons.

E-stone and Set did the same. There was a small sound effect and suddenly they had icons. Guild icons. "We are growing with each tier. Soon I doubt we'll be able to get organized for boss fights." I nod as Set explains things.

"So, we plan to do this." They opened a new menu.

"Registration for our guilds is open. Any who want to join, do so now." There were several hushed conversation.

I felt nervous. After a moment of deep thinking I decided to stay solo. Slowly all the clearers left to join the three guild masters. I only saw one red hood stay still as the registrations went on. When she did move I smiled and reclined. That's smart of her. Going solo probably had more disadvantages than joining a guild. But to my surprise she came and sat next to me.

"How about it?" She sent me a link request.

"Aren't you going to join them?" She gave me a knowing smile.

"I'm better off alone." I sighed.

"Yet our asking to link up." I accepted her request.

"Well I'll feel bad if you were to be the last guy picked."

"Ouch, that stings." She giggles.

The rest of the meeting was just the usually stay alive, share information, and good luck speech by E-stone.

"You should have joined." I tell Red as we walk away from the meeting.

"They each asked me personally, I declined. I want to see how far I can go alone." She gave me a look that said _aren't you the same?_

I sigh again. "Cheer up." She tells me as she gives me a sandwich.

I quickly become cheerful as I stuff myself. "Slow down, you'll choke."

"So good." I licked my lips.

She laughs. "You remind me of my hamster. You look cute stuffing your cheeks."

I blush slightly. Whether at the comparison to a hamster or for being called cute I don't really know. A new voice joins us.

"Now now. You can't just go and call a man cute, you'll hurt his pride." E-stone approached us.

"Sol." We shake hands.

"Guild master Stone." He grins at me.

"Yeah yeah. Its Guild master now. Show me some respect." I clapped him on the back hard.

"If your here to recruit me I'm sorry. I have to decline–––AHH!" My vision suddenly filled with messages.

"What the..." I quickly scanned them. I tsked. They were all one letter messages. I quickly pieced together the message. It went something like this.

H E Y , ?

I sighed as I closed them all. "Sorry about that. Friend was in a pickle but she's fine now." E-stone chuckles, probably at my sudden panicked yelp.

"Don't worry about. Anyway sorry to hear you declined."

"Yeah. But don't worry. If I ever join a clearing guild I'll give you an advance notice, see if you can bargain for me." He laughed.

"I know this is probably a bit over do but." He sent me a friend request.

I blinked once before accepting. "Damn it." I say.

"What now?" I sigh.

"With you that makes three people on my friends list. I definitely need to add more girls to that list." It was a blatant lie of course, but I'd have one good joke with E-stone before he had to start his guild life.

He grins at me. "But don't you have little Red here."

"Yeah but she rarely dresses in anything cute or acts like a–––" I double over as her fist meets my gut.

She huffed before walking away. E-stone laughed and we high five.

"Take care man." He goes to address his guild, a smile back on his face.

Red disbanded our link. I sent Jane a quick message.

"That was fun." She says behind me as I hit send.

"What the? Where–" She presses a finger to my lip.

"I just wanted to watch you get a little flustered is all." Why did I feel a certain menacing feeling come from her.

"Any way I just thought I'd let you know that the guild was very happy for what you did last night."

She probably knew they each had sent me messages. She didn't have to come talk to me after the meeting.

"They actually want to get you to join the guild. So I told them I'd approach you today." I swallowed.

Was she going to send me an invitation. "Don't worry. I'll give you a bit more time before I'll invite you to join my group. We take only elites you know." I smile.

"Sure." We went to a café and shared a drink.

"To the clearing of the seventh tier." She said, our mugs clinked.

I looked at her for a moment. There was something else she wasn't telling me. After the longest time of her staring down at her food as she ate she spoke. "Are you trying to see if you have X-ray vision or do you want to ask me something?"

I blush and look away. "You want something don't you?"

"We'll be taking on the four sub-bosses on tier seven in a week. Want to help?" I nod.

Then we walk for a bit. We head down to the Central Plaza and we head down to the fifth tier, _Ganymede_. The mostly hilly area of the fifth tier was rich and fertile. Several log cabins can be found in the forests to the south.

"Why are we here?" I ask her.

"Leveling up." We head to the field.

The horse sized dragons on the level didn't give much experience but where ideal for training skills. Together we beat three of them in record time. I was about to sheathe my sword when Diana lunged. She brought something down hard on my sword. I tensed and saw the _Zweihänder_, that had fatefully seen me through two boss fights, shatter. I stare dumbly at the hilt in my hands as it turns into scrubbed data. A feeling that I haven't felt in a while takes me. The stars above my head may well have been nonexistent. All I saw was red. I pinned her to the ground, my hands keeping her arms down.

"Why did you do that?" I was ready to attack.

All I could see was red, a single scene replayed over and over again. Another sword shattering, not the first but the second weapon to shatter in my hands. _Damn it! _Eld, when I had struck him. His sword shattered at the tip before becoming polygons. Then my head cooled and I saw Jane again. She just calmly looked me on the eyes. I realized how it might look so I got off her and kept my back to her.

"To prove a point." She told me.

Something metallic fell in front of me. I blinked. I reached forward and grabbed a leather wrapped hilt. I felt the pommel and cross guard. A rose motif similar to the one on boss doors was etched into the metal. The long sword I held seemed to suck in the dark and the light.

"That's the Black Rose." She pressed her back to mine.

I suddenly realized it. I hadn't been mad at her. I had been terrified. Since when did having a sword make me feel this safe and grounded. I hugged the blade and felt tears stream down my face.

"I'm sorry." I started.

Was I that afraid of being caught unarmed.

"I'm sorry."

Was I that pathetic that I'd snap if my weapon was broken. I swallowed hard as warm tears fell on the new blade.

"I'm sorry."

Or was I scared of something else entirely. I had had a sword with me when we were released at the starting city. I had a sword with me when Eld first tried to kill me. I killed the Roc with a sword that broke in my hands afterwords. A sword protected me when Eld attacked the second time.

"I'm sorry."

I was a sword.

I had only participated in one boss fight where I had been without one. And I think I'll never take part in another without a sword in my hands. Warm arms wrap around me.

"I know." She whispers.

She knows. I'm a sword. I was newly made and was being used in this death game. I'd get my nicks and dents. My cracks and breaks. But I would last. I wouldn't crumble away like these digital weapons. I'd bite deep into the system, dealing a lethal blow before I'd disappear. I don't remember how but I got back to an inn. My new sword safely in my inventory. As was most of my equipment. I had on only pajamas. I sighed as I sat up.

"Do you know how long its been?" I froze at the voice behind me.

I instantly thought of Eld. "Do you?" I slowly relaxed, it was just her.

"How long since what?" She sighs.

"Since the game started." I took a minute to remember.

"I think...four months now."

"That's right." She tells me.

I was about to turn around when I hand fell on the top of my head. She forced me to look forward.

"Don't."

There was a hidden death threat there, I was sure of it. After some menu sound effects and a small glimmer of light I was allowed to look at her. She sat on the second bed of the room. Her arms crossed, staring at me expectantly. I opened my menu and was about to reequip my armor when I looked at her. She admired a bird outside the window. I hurriedly reequiped my things. The reason being that for a handful of seconds you'd be in your underwear when completely changing your equipment. Only a few of the most daring male players would even consider changing like that in public. But if it was just switching out single pieces of gear then the lag was much less. So much so that the first blinding light effect wouldn't even be over before you had your new gear on. After a few silent moments I broke the icy quiet.

"Thank you." I stood and left.

I sent a message on the go and went to Sid's shop.

"Yo, still alive?" I smile and greet him.

"Yeah. I know." He serves me a drink free of charge, just one though.

He is a business man. His shop is closed for the moment. I sip at the coffee like beverage.

"You seem happy." I say to him.

He had been humming a small tune now, a happy expression on his face.

"Yeah." I sipped a little more.

"Something special happen?" He shook his head.

"No, I was just thinking about...the real world. So I'm putting on this happy face."

There was a petrified moment of silence. Nothing moved. Nothing at all.

"Sid." He comes around the bar and sits next to me.

A bottle of what can be described as liquor in his hands. "Did you know you can get drunk in the game."

I pushed away my half empty beverage as he put a shot glass in front of me. "Do you mind if I ask you about...the real world?"

It had been an unspoken rule. _Don't talk about it._

He nods and pours me some of the drink. It tasted oddly sweet. The alcohol burned my throat a bit, though.

"I ran a shop like this with my wife." He told me.

As one we drink our liquor. "We were both happy, you know. Just each other, everyday, for life."

He poured into our shot glasses.

"I think that that's why I had to buy this place."

So...the atmosphere he had made here in this shop. This warmth that seemed to permeate it, the silent joy. It was a real sensation that he mimicked from his real world shop.

"I just don't know man. Its been four months." I understood him.

"Come on, you'd better not break down on me right here at the starting line." I patted the strong man on the back.

Feeling slight tremors start in him. I turn and lean on the bar. "Sid. Look man I can't tell you how much you mean to us players."

I drain my glass and let him refill it. "Its just that you're our rock. Red's. Mine. Probably a few more clearers, and a dozen other players need this shop. They need you." I leave the shot glass alone.

"Don't worry Sid. We will beat this game. You will see your wife. And I _**will**_ personally stab Gene Lockeless in the ass to commemorate the occasion at the Obsidian Blight Palace." I thought I saw Sid's shoulders start to hitch.

"But you promise me something as well." The morning rush of people outside started to appear.

"That you'll keep your shop open for us when we come in here broken. That the fire will roar when winter comes. And that we will share a laugh when we are sad."

Unexpectedly the man-mountain next to me fell out of his seat. Laughing and holding his ribs.

"Huh." He calmed down after a few seconds, wiping away tears.

"You're alright kid. I have gotta be there when you meet Lockeless." I smile.

He seemed okay now. I reached for my glass.

"No more for you." He snatched it away.

"Come on. I'm not even drunk yet." He smiled as I whined.

Then it was the same quiet atmosphere from before. No one had entered yet. "You know I left people behind as well."

He washed dishes as he listened to me. I looked out a window and seemingly it was my past.

"My mother...my father...My sister. I left those people behind too."

Counting the first mouth it had been four months since that day in early January. It was mid April now.

"My sister should be getting out soon. Summer break and all that. I wonder if I messed up before logging in." That memory would haunt me, along with the nightmare of Eld, till the end of the game.

"You were close?"

"No...Not particularly. At least I wasn't close to her. But...I don't know about what she feels." I clenched my hand into a fist.

"This game is messed up. You just can't be happy in here." I turned back to the bar.

Sid concentrated on his task with the cups and plates. "I don't know about that. I saw a player walk in here with about a dozen or more friends. Laughing and telling them I'd cut them a deal on the meal." I smile a bit stiffly.

"Yeah. Friends from the outside. They're good people."

I can probably count on one hand how many times I'd done something worthy to them. But I'd need to borrow at least ten pairs of hands and feet to count the number of times they had done something incredible for me. Felt something catch in my throat.

"They are good friends."

I can probably guess why they first befriended me. It was my sad fact. The reason why I sometimes stayed awake and thought that this game was my blessing.

"Hey Sid."

I could feel that oppressive fact press on my mind. Could I tell another person. Not even the Alliance of White Wings knows it. But, this man who bared his heart to me, who told me his inner turmoil, could he listen to mine?

"In the re––"

The door slams open. "I'm here." Red said as she rushed in.

"Oh, about time." I force that darkness deep down into me.

Back under a hundred layers, to where it can't hurt me anymore. She huffs at me before warmly greeting Sid. I stand, a little woozy. Sid did say it was possible to get drunk in game. I shake my head and bow to Red.

"Sorry about before." She sighs.

"Don't mention it. So what was it you needed?" I swallowed dryly.

"I need help in clearing a dungeon."

"Treasure-hunting?"

"Something like that." Sid continued to whistle his tune.

"Its on this floor...Eld sent some players there to die."

The frozen silent threatened to break me. "We should notify the frontline guilds. Or the Dalian League."

"Or about a dozen other guilds and individuals. But I want to see why he would send people there. I can understand it if he sent them there to get killed, but they were more than a dozen of them. I'm thinking he was using them for something. Trying to get something."

Red nods. "Maybe he's just kill happy and wants to see how many will die before he gets to pick off the survivors."

"That too is a possibility." So it was agreed.

"In return for helping you," I felt a chill start the base of my neck and crawl downwards.

"I need your help finishing a quest." I still felt dread at her request.

Perhaps it was some kind of super embarrassing quest and she wanted me to do it in her place. Albeit rare, quests like that do occur from time to time. I heard once that a girl had to go through a certain forest on the sixth tier. She was assaulted, or rather molested, by various tentacles and left all gross and slimy. She shivered for days afterwards.

"Fine. Then let's hurry up and go." I left some Lire for Sid.

"Save me a drink next time." He waved at us as we left.

The dungeon was a few hours running distance from Mythril. It was a large cylinder, about a mile in diameter. It was towards the edge of the tier, right next to a wall of trees that ringed the tier. Beyond that you'd find about zero feet of solid earth under you with around a hundred percent chance of pure free fall to your doom awaiting you. The large cylinder was a bit awing to approach. It towered over everything. But because of its position on the tier most of its shadow was cast over the edge. The yawning entrance breathed out cold air.

"Alright. They're a lot of _Golem_ class enemies inside. Piercing attacks don't deal so much damage. Impact and blunt attacks are your safest bet."

"Does it look like I'm a mace user?" Red asked as she showed me her saber.

"No. But then again your fist packs quiet a wallop. I wouldn't be surprised if you could O.H.K.O them." She raised her fist.

"How about we test it out. Let's see if I can kill with one punch!" After a brief bout were I took blows to the rib we grew serious once again.

"Ready." She tells me.

I draw the Black Rose sword and we enter. The dark halls slowly grow brighter. "That's a nice sword." Red remarks.

"Thanks. Diana gave it to me."

It took me a moment to scan a map before deciding which direction to go. "Diana, isn't she the treasure hunting guild leader?"

"Yeah, you remember her. It was just yesterday." A horde awaited us.

They took some time to deal with. "Yeah. I remember." Red said after the fight.

"We talked afterwards. It took some time, but I was able to obtain this."

The sword was pretty, freaking amazing. Quoting E-stone. "Look at it! Its amazing!"

"Get over it." She grumbled something else but it was mostly to quiet to hear.

We ascended to the next floor. "So how about those recordings from the Press?"

Red shrugged. "Its not like I can get any more popular." She said a bit annoyed.

I remember her fame. I bow. "My humblest apologizes. I forgot I was in the presence of digital royalty."

"Stow it." She told me.

We continued on in silence. Its odd being in a place like this, mostly private. Dark. Alone. I decide to play a little trick on her. I secretly drop back and snuff out a flame. The path behind Red darkens. She doesn't notice. I do it a few more times before she realizes I've been quiet to long.

"Sol?" She turns to face the dark.

"Sol." She calls out.

My seeking skill had advanced to the point I could use night-vision. It didn't have that much range yet but it was effective. For six feet in front of me I could see as clear as day. I followed Red. I breathed out heavily. She turned.

"Come on this isn't funny." She walks in the dark and into a wall.

"Ow." She starts to stand when I let my sleeve brush past her neck. She jerks and stands. Her back to the wall.

"S-Sol." She gets her weapon out.

"C-come on, this isn't funny." I couldn't help it, her expression was just to adorable.

I slowly creeped behind her, i threw a pebble and let it bounce of her ankle. She turned and slashed. I was already circling around her.

"S-Sol!" She seemed to be on the brink of tears.

I decided I over did it and was about to call out to her when I was thrown to the ground.

"Sol!" My cries are muffled as something pins me down.

Its claws dig into me, illuminating the passageway with red damage light. I hear Red gasp. I can't pull the god damn thing off. Then the lights come back on and I see what's on top of me. Its a shape that's pure black terror. Its tongue licks up and down my neck. The beady eyes scan over me. A black lizard man is on me, slowly killing me. A glowing blade appears from its open mouth, the lizard, the _Creeper_ disappears. I gasp and cough.

"Oh God." My health was still green.

I lay on the ground a few seconds longer. Red has her back to me. I stand and look around once more.

"Don't do that...ever." She orders me.

"Y-yes." We continue forward.

I thought I heard her sniffle once or twice. I was a real jerk. Though it was quiet we weren't silent. "You there?" She'd call every ten steps.

I'd answer immediately. I hadn't encountered Creepers before in this dungeon. I hoped never to meet one again, or at least that close. Eventually I realized what had changed. The time.

"They must be an enemy type that appears at night." I said as I heard claws on stone behind me.

I continued to look behind me as I walked into Red.

"S-sor––" Directly in front of me I saw nothing but pitch black.

There was an occasional sputtering as a torch cast weak light for five feet. But the dark went on for meters, at least 250 feet. I gulped. Red held my hand, trembling slightly.

"Eh."

"So we don't get lost." She claimed.

I nod and take the first step. Looking only six feet in front of me I lead us through the dark. It was terrifying, especially since an occasional tail would cross the edge of my vision. Or heavy breathing would sound terrible close. I swallowed dryly and heard Red whimper more than once. I stopped maybe twelve feet from the lit corridor.

"What's the matter?" Red asked next to me.

"I'd rather not say."

A huge Creeper was standing to our left. It was standing at the edge of a torch so I could see its outline was maybe eight feet away, If it moved slower than us...One of us might get to the light. I made my decision. I tightened my hand around Red's.

"We won't have much time. I need you to run towards the lit corridor. Here, switch hands." Red now stood to my right.

She was trying desperately to remain calm.

"Okay...its moving away...steady...steady..." I inched us forward as the creature just stared straight.

"GO!" Red half dragged me as she ran to the safety of the light.

The creature hissed and lunged. That was definitely faster than us. In a heart beat I was on the ground, Red slid within a few feet of the light.

"Keep going." I order her as the Creeper tried to grab my throat.

My sword. That's right. It was just out of arms reach of me. If I could just let go of the beast...

"SOL!" Red called from the light.

She made it, good. Then the Creeper roared, I saw it bare its fangs. Then it dove at my neck.

"GAHHH!"

Red light was thrown across the corridor. My neck being mauled by the Creeper. I let go of its arm and reached over for my sword. Then the torches turned on and I could see several Creepers disappear. Except the one on top of my.

"AHHHH!" I yelled out as my health went yellow.

My fingers nudged my sword a few centimeters farther away from me. The shock finally settled in me. I was going to die. I was going to die. With my sword out of reach. The thing killing me rapidly. I was doomed. I gave up on my sword and tried to push the thing off me as its fangs took my health down fast. Then it stiffened and shattered. I blacked out soon after.

Something soft and warm pressed into my cheek. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling but it was something. It moved and pulsated ever slightly. There was one bit that–– I opened my eyes, Red was holding my head quiet close to that precarious region of her chest. After rolling away slightly Red toppled. Asleep. That was dangerous in a dungeon. My sword was back in its scabbard. I sighed with relief. I sat down with my back against the wall. Red was curled up next to me. I rubbed my cheek were it had been pressed against her. I blush for a minute before I hear Red.

"Stupid." I cover my head and repeatedly apologize.

Only to find out that she was still asleep. Her arm was stretched towards me. She tosses and turns a bit more than she should. Her hand grasps my sleeve. She nearly pulled me down on top of her. Gladly I fall slightly to the side. Still this is far more closer than I'd prefer. I need to get up before––

"H!" She hugged my head again.

Bring it close to her chest now. I squirm a bit and cause her to wake up.

"EH!" She looks down at where I''m sprawled out.

After she had let go of me. She crossed her arms defensively over her chest.

"You...You..." She wasn't about to congratulate me on surviving.

"IDIOT!" Her fist glowed as she punched down at me.

I covered my face as her fist collided. The dust that was thrown up showed that she had punched the stone floor. "Idiot." She said again with tears in her eyes.

I sat up and let her sob into my chest. I can only guess at how traumatic it must have been. Hearing a player getting killed in a most gruesome way as he screamed from the dark. Then seeing it as the lights come on. I shivered at my own imagination. When Red calmed down we couldn't get back to the exit without cross about a hundred yards of unlit corridors. We continued deeper into the dungeon and thankfully avoided several dark corridors.

Finally, we stood before a heavily decorated door. "Ready?" She nods and we push open the door.

As we step in the four sub-bosses appear. "This might be a problem." Red said behind me.

"They are just oversized Golems. Let them run into a wall to stun themselves and then climb them. The eye is weak to piercing damage. You have the best thrusting power so you'll have to do it. I'll cover you." There was only one problem.

"I just had to wear a skirt today." She said.

Then in a more menacing tone she told me, "If I catch you peeking I will PK you."

I swallowed. "O-Okay. Let's go."

She had the easiest part of this boss fight. I had to keep three huge, albeit slow, behemoths off her. It worked though. Before the Vault-Keeper could get her she had already destroyed both health bars. In twelve minutes she had singlehandedly destroyed a boss. I was reduced to the yellow of my health bar by the time she destroyed three of the four.

"Alright." I said as the last golem stunned itself.

We climbed it together and beat it in record time. A teleport crystal pad appeared. Taking us to the entrance once again.

"That wasn't what I expected." I tell her as we check over the loot.

I used the very valuable teleport gems to get us back to Mythril. I was to tired to run back. "Thank you." I tell her as we enter the inn.

"Don't mention it." I'm certain she doesn't want to remember what happened. That night I was so tired I just ran on autopilot. I bathed and dressed for sleep as if I was a machine. Not noticing my actions until I felt the pillow.

"Hey Cooper." We sit together. Cards in our hands.

"Yeah Thomas. I think I'm right."

"Right?" I take a sip of water.

"That she likes you." I choke and spend a good two minutes coughing.

"Breathe." He tells me.

"I know I know." After a while I calm down.

"Don't just say stupid things like that all of a sudden." He smiles as I blush.

"Come on. I told you I think she likes you. Just embrace it." I gave him a blank stare.

"Give it a whirl. Its what every guy needs. A girl." Cooper touches the interface near him.

"Have they said anything about you?" I shake my head.

"Oh...that's to bad." I lose as he plays the royal straight flush he had.

"So close."

"Yeah right. In your dreams." We laugh at that.

"But you might be right about that whole girl talk there. I think, my senior by one year, that you should get yourself one." He cracks a grin.

"Come on, no one can contain me. I'm a god amongst men." We laugh a bit more.

"Its that time already. I was just about to get you to lose for the sixth time in a row." I grin at him.

"I'll make you eat those words next time." He smiles at me. But I can see him mouth the words.

_If there is a next time._


	4. Phase 03

**A/N––I introduce you to some new condemned. Read on to see how they are important to Sol's life. To the clearing. But most importantly to Eld. Phase 04 will be a very important chapter that will lead to several things towards the next few chapter. This is the introduction, of sorts. Also I need help coming up with names. For players, people, tiers, bosses, and skills. SAO claimed to have thousands of skills and weapons, and I won't let Dæmonica fall to far behind. I want to see how much my story can measure up so contribute to the cause in the reviews. And ahead of time thanks to all that add to the name list.**

**Disclaimer––I do not own SAO or any of its media.**

Phase 03 Truth

I meet up with Red at Sid's shop. "So should we recap?" She nods.

"From what I saw there wasn't anything particular about that place. Except..." I shivered when I remembered the Creepers.

"Anyway, how about the loot. Was their anything that could attract Eld's interest?" After checking with Sid on what we obtained from the dungeon we determined that there were a few interesting pieces.

"But nothing to extraordinary." I sigh.

"Then you were right. He's just kill happy by now." I stand and bow to her.

"Thank you for your help." I give her a modest half of what I got from the dungeon.

"So what now?" Red says as I move to leave.

"I might know a person who spoke with Eld. But if he is still alive I'll try and find that murderer."

"Well not today." I saw Red smile from under her hood.

Oh yeah, it was my turn to pay her pack. "Er...mercy." I say as I raise up my hands.

"Oh don't worry. You'll survive." I gulp.

We're back to the eighth tier. The clearing guilds are all out today. "They found a new grinding area. But since there are so many of us I doubt many people will level up."

Ever since the fifth floor good grinding areas have become scarce. But then again resources were meant to be scarce in a game like this. So far no one died yet, the bosses are at a consistent difficulty. Even if they are higher level than us we can overwhelm them with tactics and sheer numbers. Speaking of which I had been stuck at level twenty-three for the longest time. We walk for a while among prairie ground. Among the occasional bushes I saw a single NPC girl.

"This is the quest giver." Red accepted the quest and added me on as a participant.

I received the notification. A cooking quest. "Huh." I rarely heard of one of these before.

"W-wait!" I reread the description.

"You have to be joking!" It was too much, to embarrassing.

"Oh stow it. You're the only guy I can trust to with this quest." After some sub-audible grumbling we returned to Sid's shop.

"So how did it go?" He said with a familiar smile.

"We need to borrow your kitchen and rooms."

"EHH!" After a brief explanation and bartering we were allowed to use his home as much as we want.

We went to the kitchen first, the mysterious chef eluded me still. Must be her day off or something. "Alright I have more than enough ingredients here, all that's left is..."

I turned away as she switched out her gear for clothes. I did the same and we got busy. After three hours we had a finished product. It looked like a succulent turkey, perfect coloring and with a side of some alien looking plants.

"H-here." Red fed me, per the Quest givers request.

It didn't taste to bad. The meat was a bit to–– I dashed out of the shop and found a bush that had dense foliage. After throwing myself in I released the contents of my stomach. A slight poison status on me health bar.

"Sol!" Sid called from his doorway. I took out an antidote potion, thankful for its lime juice taste.

I swished it around my mouth a couple of times before ingesting. By the time I had gotten back into the kitchen Red had already disposed of the turkey from Hell.

"No good?" She asked all innocent like.

"No good." I answered calmly upon seeing her expression.

Two attempts later I had suffered everything from the most retched tasting salad to being poisoned and paralyzed. Finally I snatched the ladle from Red's hands.

"Give me that."

"H-hey you need to at least have the cooking skill––" I looked at her with something burning in my eyes.

"Give me five days and I swear to you that I will have the most delicious tasting food you've ever tasted." With that I shoved her out of the kitchen and closed all the doors.

"Sid, I'm commandeering your shop for a while."

"HUH!" I slammed the door shut.

After reading the cooking skills description I realized I had an abundant amount of ingredients from my various misadventures. I started off with the most basic dish, sliced vegetables. After succeeding in that, partially due to my skill level with the dagger, I moved on to the next thing. Over the next four hours I roasted pheasant meat, grilled lizard tails, and flambéed a mysterious tongue, mostly all at once. The notification of me raising the level on the cooking skill kept me up all night and well into the morning. This was different than cooking in real life, where if you were good you were good. In the game you got good and rapidly progressed. I didn't eat anything I didn't cook. I nibbled on some cheese at some point and got stumped when I had to wait for my soufflé to finish. That gave me several hours of nothing to do. I got fed up and went onto step two of this horrible quest. The sewing skill. I sent Sid running to buy me an abundant amount of thread when I shoved several fistfuls of Lire into his greedy palms. I sat down in a chair near the oven and slowly began knitting, crocheting and a lot of other stuff that involved needle work. The sound of this skill leveling up coincided with the timer of the soufflé. I took out the dish and rapidly continued working at it. Food started to pile up around the kitchen and my inventory so I handed it off to Sid. God knows what he did with it. Towards the night of the second day I was busy making some gloves as I had the oven stuffed with various cuts of meat.

"Ow...damn it...ow...damn it..." I had a rhythm going as the needle jabbed my thumb every twenty-five seconds.

I opened the door at some point and threw the various articles of armor and clothing at Sid. "Get me more yarn." I ordered before I slammed the door again.

The date changed as I took out the various cuts of meats and I continued to make increasingly difficult dishes until the eve of the final day. The last dish was a kicker. I had to cook an S-class ingredient. I smile as I look in my inventory. One of the first things I see is Queen Spider meat. I briefly recalled my adventure with the others into that dungeon on the fifth tier. The black twitching mound looked unappetizing as I went on preparing it.

Sid walked in with a mass of yarn. "Here you––" He covered his mouth as he saw the twitching mound.

"Unless you want to join it get out!" He leapt out the door as I slammed it behind him.

There were two recipes at my disposal for this sickening thing. I had enough to make both. Multitasking, the ultimate high schoolers ability. I sauté one portion of the meat and let the rest sit in a vat of boiling oil for a while. I got so busy with my needle work I barely realized how many times my thumb was jabbed. I looked at my health bar and saw my health had dropped an eighth. I looked at the needle as it glowed. It had just recently jabbed my thumb with it. Although a little creeped out that it might be possible to hurt yourself severely with a sewing needle in game I went to attend my dishes. Both looked unappetizingly black. I finished the shirt and went to check on them when both blackened masses shook violently. The pots and pans clinked together as both masses of blackness leapt out of their respective pots. The blackened masses sprouted legs, four of them, and stood. A name appeared over them. _Widow's revenge_. I shook slightly.

"What the hell happened––" Sid and Red barged in.

Red drew her weapon as Sid fumbled with his menu. I kicked them out of my kitchen.

"Its not done cooking." I say with my best cheshire cat smile.

The violent tremors and screeching that came from Sid's kitchen made someone send for a clearing guild. E-stone and his bunch appeared as Sid stared at the kitchen door.

"Excuse me." He said as he kicked in the door.

"GET BACK IN THAT POT!" After more struggling was heard the guild master was sent flying from the kitchen.

Slowly, as the hours ticked by the door opened. A slightly disheveled Sol stepped out. He held a large platter with a delectable looking steak. Then he went back into the kitchen and brought out a large pot. People had timidly started eating the steak.

"This is freaking AMAZING!" Someone yelled.

Briefly forgetting the terror of the past three hours. Sol set down the pot as people gathered around. But a large screeching spider shoved its forelegs out of pot and splashed about.

"GAHHHHHH!" People yelled and fell back.

Sol just calmly slammed the lid on the thing. He whistled a tune as he stepped into the kitchen. The kitchen door wouldn't close as he slammed it with his foot.

"HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE YOU TO DIE IN BOILING OIL!?" A brave clearer approached the door and shut it.

He was congratulated as the bravest man so far. After a few hours a tired Sol stepped out of the kitchen. An open pot steaming as the smell wafted through out the shop. He set down the pot and a few people timidly took a step back. Sol drew his weapon and stabbed once into the stew. Nothing.

"Its clear." I said as I served a helping.

I cornered Red before she could leave.

"N––" I forced the spoon into her mouth and watched her swallow.

After a brief moment when she had a blank expression she took the bowl from my hands. I stepped back and laughed. A bit maniacally. Then with an item I obtained through sewing I approached Red.

"What––" The measuring tape flew and gathered information.

"Hmm..." I took out my needle and some thread.

"Average height. Color favored, red. Lean body. Measurements––" Her fist shut me up as I hurriedly sewed something up.

With the last stitch the mass of red cloth takes shape.

"Wow." Sid whispered at the elegant dress I made in front of their eyes.

"My lady in Red." I presented the dress to Red by unceremoniously throwing it at her.

I dust my hands and pick myself off the floor. "I'll be using that room now Sid." I got half way up the stairs before I passed out, exhausted.

The next day I woke with a start. I quickly checked on both skills and found them maxed out. "What the hell..." Sid knocked before entering.

"Oh, its been about ten hours. Mr. Chef." I shiver a little, remembering last night I timidly ask, "How's your kitchen?" He lets out a long sigh.

"Its still there, spent a greater half of the night cleaning it up." I look down.

"Don't worry. You maxed out your skills right?" I nod.

"Then you can make me a nice fancy set of clothes. A tuxedo or something." With a few menu selections I had the tape measure in hand.

"What color?" After a few heartbeats I had a white tuxedo ready for the man.

"Impressive." He said checking it out.

"Meh." I respond, my shoulders are sore.

"So...how much of what happened did you guys see?" I saw terror flash before his eyes.

"A guy claimed he saw you dunking the spider into boiling oil."

"Oh, then you guys didn't see the worst of it." I shivered a bit.

"Worse?"

I nod. "Worse." We left it at that.

Red was waiting downstairs. "Well look who woke up." I greet her.

"Sorry about last night. I was a bit sleep deprived." She nods.

"Yeah, I kind of figured." Then she opened a trade window. It was ingredients.

"Now then." Back to the kitchen.

In a single hour I had a juicy turkey ready. The salad was tossed and had a small vial of dressing at the ready. "Well?" I say as I feed Red.

She smiles in such a cute way that I'm stunned. Stunned. "Its so good." I see tears gather in her eyes.

"Now then, on to step two." I see Red swallow as I smile at her.

"W-wait. Y-you're the one that's suppose to wear it." I shake my head.

"One is suppose to feed the other, the one who didn't feed gets to wear it." I take out the measuring tape.

"WAIT!" In moments I have the info needed to make her a stunning light blue dress. She frowns as she leaves to change. In a while she comes out, flowers braided in her hair, sunlight shining through the window to make her shine. I was awe struck. But I hid it behind an impassive mask.

"Now then, on to the quest giver." The NPC was still amongst the bushes on tier eight. We walk to her. "Oh. Its you two." She dusts off her hands from where she was working a flower bed.

"This place was once a startlingly beautiful meadow. But as you can see its not so anymore. Time in this place has wiped its beauty clean. I find it hard to believe this is the same place." Then she looks at us.

"Did you do what I ask?" Red nods before turning in the request.

The NPC smiles and holds something in her hands, light. It expands outwards and envelops us. We stand in a field of flowers. The NPC no where to be seen. "I am the embodiment of the fields." I turned and didn't see the NPC, though her voice was nearby.

"I was astounded to see you humans care for each other so much. Especially since you destroyed my body." I turned and saw a broken dais. A clearer went up to it and the white wall that escaped it paved over the flowers. Then it was only white.

"But I can forgive you all. For helping me find peace I'll lend you something. A special power that the Demon Lord can't shut away from this world." I thought I heard the word _hope_ some time after that but the word that was whispered into my ears shook me. We sat up in a field of blossoming flowers.

"Huh." I say. Red agrees.

Then the completion notification appears and we get a great big load of Lire.

"...Maybe this quest was worth it." I tell Red.

"Maybe." We part ways when we get back to town.

"See you." She says to me.

And I can't help it, I do what Cooper did. As I step onto the dais I see that she's still watching me. I mouth the words, the ones that Cooper used to haunt me. "_If there is a next time._" Then I teleport away.

A few moments later I join the guild for their dungeon clearing. "Don't go in there when its turning into night." Is all I whisper to Diana as I join my friends.

We gather at the entrance. "Alright. Thanatos you and...Sol will spearhead us."

There was a brief uproar that she calmed down with ease. "Are you okay with this?" She asked me.

"I'm fine with it." She then went on to assign positions to the rest of them.

"Libra, Silvia, and Zeke will be the center group, back up the point team." They nod.

"We need tanks on either side. Deven, Burrs." They nod.

"Alright. Nico, Amethyst and Darius I want you guys to be scouting ahead of us. Don't fight if you don't have to but find treasure if you can." A separate team ahead of us will save us time.

But it increased the risk. "Zarroc, Ike, your with me at the rear." They join her side and we let the scouting party go in first.

We enter twelve minutes later. Diana checks to make sure the scouts are okay.

"They'll be two Golem hordes ahead of us. Point group be careful." I continue ahead.

_**Some Time later**_

"Wait!" Diana calls from behind us.

"What is–" The corridor behind us is black. I swallow hard.

"Call them back. Call them back now!" Diana doesn't question my tone as she rapidly composes a message.

After several minutes I grow impatient. "I'm going to meet up with them. Don't get trapped in the dark."

"Wait." Thanatos calls to me but I'm already running.

I run for maybe thirty minutes. I saw the three of them hurrying towards me. "Come on!"

I yell to them as I see a horde following them. "Damn it."

I leapt past them and finish off the three Golems. "What's going on?" Amethyst asked me.

"Trouble, big trouble." We make good speed.

I see that the corridor is lit again and we are just a few minutes away. Deven started waving at us when I felt a cold premonition.

"Just keep running!" I look to the torches set high into the walls.

A dark shape leaked out of the wall and snuffed it out. Within seconds the corridor was pitch black. I could hear several Creepers approach. And there were no doubt several ahead.

"Use a charging special!" I tell them.

Three bars of light appear to either side of me and I join them. I see Nico and Darius clear the darkness. I leap from it with them.

"Where is she?" They looked around, confused."Where's Laura?!"

I hear an ear splitting scream.

I turn and see a small red damage light. "What––"

Before Darius can ask I'm leaping into the dark. I see several Creepers gathering. Making a thick wall in front of me. The Black Rose glows in my hand.

"Out of my way!" It glows continuously as I chain together single strike specials.

The shattering sound effect fills my ears as I barge into the horde. I see Laura, her health red, on the ground sobbing to herself. A large Creeper over her. I stab it and then use _Shatter_ to kill it. After a point five second action pause I throw her over my shoulder and charge back towards the light. Claws reach out and rake across my flank.

"AH!" I exclaim but continue forward.

I hear them, they're behind me. I put everything I can into one last desperate leap. I throw Laura and Deven catches her. I flop to the ground, just a foot away from the dark. I look up, relieved expressions quickly turn into despair. I feel it. I crane my neck a little and see the dark claw dig deep into my leg. Then a Creeper shoots out of the dark and lands on top of me. It buries its fangs deep into my shoulder.

"!" I was deathly silent, I reach out to them as the Creepers drags me back into the dark.

My finger tips clears the light when I'm flipped over onto my back. The Creeper that had been clinging onto my shoulder bit into my neck. My health had been green when I dragged Laura out of the dark. I was in the red and falling fast. I closed my eyes. This is it. But I opened them when I heard someone strain, I felt a hand tighten around mine.

"COME ON!" Diana yelled.

I vaguely saw Burrs and Ike help drag her out of the dark by her waist. And out from the dark she dragged me along with her. Now that I think about it I shouldn't have picked Sol as a name. It means the sun in latin. I was just that as I was dragged out of the darkness. My throat was a bright red sun. The black lizard on top of me pinned my head down with one of its thick hands. I saw the fear in their eyes. The shock of it. Look at me, I am the sun. I will scorch the truth into your eyes. Watch me die. Jane had other ideas about that. She stabbed the Creeper in the eye and then through the neck. The already weakened Creeper was destroyed in a flash of light. Jane dragged me away from the dark and cradled my head in her lap. I was just there, my body frozen. My breathing erratic. She pushed a healing draught into my mouth and I drank mechanically. The salty beverage went down easy. My health recovered to the yellow, though a mysterious ailment was flashing. I tried to sit up, it couldn't be.

"Don't look." She warned.

I did anyway. I looked. Past my waist, to my right foot. Then to where my left foot should have been. My left leg was gone up until the knee. The dismembered ailment. That's what the broken line inside a flashing red box meant. I blacked out in Jane's arms.

"...ol...S..." It was to early to wake up.

"Sol!"

"Give him some room, he's coming to." I blink rapidly at dim light.

"W...what..." I'm propped up against a wall.

Then its back to me in a flash. I cover my mouth with my hand as I think I'm about to be sick.

"Easy there." Jane said, calm, cool, a perfect image of tranquility.

Her steady gaze freezes me. I wiggle my toes, then I close my eyes and feel my right leg...then the left.

I open my eyes, "Its there alright." Burrs said off to my right.

I let out a relieved sigh. After a few moments of quiet thinking I let out another sigh. The formation is gone. We're camped in the dungeon. A wall of darkness on either side. After several concerned moments I stand. I push away a few of the guys as I stand alone.

"How is she?" Amethyst, or rather Laura is across from me, hugging her knees. Deven, Darius, and Silvia are huddled around her.

"She's mortified." Diana told me.

I walk the short four meter distance from one wall to the next. They give me some room to talk to her. I can only hear sobs come from the rapier user. I kneel in front of her.

"Hey." She just sobs.

"Hey, I'm alive." She looks at me.

This game makes it difficult to hide emotions. It takes what you want to do and transmits it to your avatar. So you will cry if you feel like crying. Whether out of fear, joy, or sadness. She wraps her arms around me and sobs into my shoulder. We last five minutes like that before she's somewhat better. She's lead away by Burrs and Deven.

"How long was I out?" Ike shrugged.

"Twenty minutes, maybe."

"I see." I turn to the nearest wall of darkness.

My hand is at the hilt of my sword.

"What the Hell man?" Jane, in a rare moment when her cold mask falls apart, asks me.

"What does it look like?" I take a few steps to the dark wall before she smacks the back of my head hard.

I stumble. "You just about got killed in there! Now your going back!"

I calmly look at her. She's angry, concerned, confused too. "I don't think you understand, they made Laura cry."

She grabs the front of my shirt. "What type of bullshit excuse is that? Are you trying to be the shining white knight here? Live god damn it!"

I keep my cool. "I don't think you've noticed but I was scared too."

I push her away. I was trembling. "And that is why I have to go."

She was shocked. She's not the only one who can play emotionless. "This is Dæmonica. Purgatory. The Death Game. And being afraid leads to being another number on the dead list." I draw my sword.

"Because this game puts our lives at risk we shouldn't hide and run from our fears." I'm a foot away from the dark wall.

"If you live with fear on your shoulder all you'll have in the end is death." I lunge forward into the dark.

In here, right now, I wasn't scared. Amethyst wasn't trapped by an innumerable amount of monsters. It was just me. Me and my vengeance. My six foot sight range becomes a no-go zone for Creepers. I see a tail come near and it'll get slaughtered. One of them knocks my sword back into the light. I grab it by the thick neck and hurl it into the light. Its stunned as it flops onto its back. I leapt from the shadows, landing on top of it. One of its claws flashes at me, but I catch and pin it down. With my free hand I snap its head sharply to one side. It dissolves under me. I stand, not bothering to grab my sword, and draw my dagger. I can see it now, the various colored eyes of the waiting Creepers. There must have been around seven of them. I run towards them. I duck under the first one as it lunges at me. I stick my dagger into it as it flies over my head. Stupid thing cut itself open. The next two assault me from the side. I grab one by its tail and mercilessly stab into its back. A critical spot being below one of its spines. The shattering of it dying illuminates the dark for a moment. I can see them. One above me, three to my left. Two no doubt behind me. I use _Shatter_ on the one above me, sending it skittering away. Then I use the trustworthy special _Breaker_. Lunging forward I stabbed into a Creeper, the cone of light stabbing into one of the two behind it. They recover quickly and crawl over their companion to lunge at me. But the wide range second strike obliterates them. I spin as the ribbon of light circles around me. The action pause afterwards is filled with the sounds of crashing. Only three left. One of the Creepers hacks at my wrist. My dagger clatters to the ground. I grimace before kicking it back. I can hear them, off to my left. Another behind me...on the wall? The third was flanking me and crawling to my right. I calm my breathing, and close my eyes. The one behind me, slightly above my head, leaps. I turn and in a single fluid motion and catch it around the neck. The force of it suddenly getting stopped damages us both. But I don't pay much attention to that. The one originally to my left lunges. I open my eyes and see a claw go for my face. With my free hand I knock the blow high and then elbow the things neck. My elbow glowed slightly with the stun attack I delivered. The thing was frozen two feet away from me, its head snapped back in an awkward position as sparks flew from it. The third one lunged at me now that my attention was elsewhere. I smile, the action pause ended as its outstretched claw is a mere foot away. I lean my head back, from past attack patterns its aiming for the neck or head. I was right. A black scaly claw barely misses a few centimeters away from my left eye. The Creeper I had been choking with one hand struggles fiercely now. The stun status on the other won't last much longer. All my ducks are in a row now. I push back the one I'd been holding and trap its arm. Then I flip its arm to where its palm is facing upwards. I bring my fist as hard as I can straight up from under its elbow. Normally this would destroy the elbow on a normal person, the bone would be sticking out or something along those lines. But it caused an additional damage boost here in this world, along with an incapacitation ailment for everything elbow down on that limb. The Creeper howled in my face. Spittle flew from its gaping mouth. I then tugged hard on its rag-doll arm, and sent it careening into the semi-stunned one. They rolled for four feet. Just enough room. I lean back and let myself start to fall. The air in front of my nose is filled by a dark maw as the one I had avoided was biting at me. I catch myself and place my glowing palm against its tough chest hide. _Palm_ _Strike_. A sound effect like a 50 cal. bullet being fired from a rifle resounds as the Creeper is shattered. Then the remaining Creepers pull a new one on me. They tag-team me. The first one lunges at me with its claws, I lean out of the way and see the second one dashing by, ready to attack me. They alternate and switch, setting me up and executing attacks. It was tough work, if my evasion wasn't as high as it was I would have been cut to ribbons by now. But in one single moment I saw it. My opening. After one uses the other as a spring board to lunge at me they are both frozen for three seconds. I see one growl to the other, the single so to speak. I ready myself. One crouches low to the ground and in a second the other one is leaping from its back. I see its beady eyes train on me, or more specifically my right shoulder. I turn as it flies in midair. It falls inches from my face and rolls for a good three meters. A small cut on my cheek from one of its claws. Nothing major. I dash towards the one that was used as a springboard and make my hand as flat as a blade. It glows. The system propels me forward and leaves me some liberty on the aiming. My hand pierces the Creeper right between the eyes. Unarmed special _Razor_. The Creeper dies in front of me. The various sparkling pieces of its data and the polygons from its body disappear. I look down where my feet nudge something. _Perfect_. I see the other Creeper dash towards me. Its recovered from the brief pause effect. I stomp my foot hard on the hilt of my dagger. With careful timing I catch the spinning weapon in the air next to my shoulder. The Creeper readies its claws. I take a measured step back and let it slash open air. Then I place the dagger's blade against its head. I was holding the weapon back handed, the tip pointing downwards. The forward moment of the Creeper propels it onto the blade. I'm tensed as the blade bites into the scaly head.

"AHHHHH!" In one fluid motion I cancel the Creepers forward motion by pulling my blade upwards.

That resulted in the Creeper's head being cleaved down the middle. It fell back now, flopping onto the floor. I watched it spontaneously shatter as I sheathe my blade. I lurch with each step, tired. I make it to my weapon, the Black Rose. I smile and pick it up. Sheathing it as well, I feel myself loose balance.

"Easy there wonder boy." Diana tells me.

She's steadying me. Her voice even and emotionless. Its her leader mode, huh. "I'm fine." I tell her, though I can't help but lean on her.

In the next ten minutes they have a hushed discussion. A very serious discussion. Its about whether they should continue the dungeon or not. In the end the decided to clear it. Though there are some grumbles here and there. I take point again, this time I have Nico, Zarroc, and Amethyst. The others are covering our flanks or rear, we're in a roughly circular formation with Diana in the middle.

"Keep an eye on the torches, if something like a Creeper appears from the wall then we form up." Gladly the danger was always behind us.

The number of Golem hordes had decreased greatly. True to the treasure hunting guild they were they found several hidden rooms. Looting was rampant. As we approached the boss chamber we held a small meeting.

"Alright, unlike last time we're prepared. I need––" I interrupted her.

"May I make a suggestion that won't put you guys in much more danger." Diana knew I'd do this but had been waiting on me to voice my plan.

"Alright wonder-boy. What do you have in mind." I pointed out Nico, Amethyst, and Darius.

"A simultaneous attack at the eye weak point. We need three teams. I'll let you guys choose who you want as support." I saw Amethyst shiver.

"This time you guys are going to be damage dealers. It would be natural if you guys have any doubts or problems. Speak now if you must." I saw Amethyst tremble fiercely for a moment before rallying.

With that they assembled into three groups. Diana was by my side. "Aren't you going with your guild?" She elbowed my ribs.

"Like I'd let you solo a sub-boss." I chuckle.

She saw through my plan. "Alright. Tanks, spears. You guys will bait and guards. Since you can't climb up the Vault-Keepers you'll make sure none of the other sub-bosses get to close. Take your time and be careful." Then I looked at the three people I pointed out.

"You guys are going to lean over the brow of a sub-boss. Its tricky because you need to hold on with one hand and stay on top of their heads. If they catch you..." I looked at the door. "If they catch you attack the fingers as much as you can." That was the only thing I could tell them.

I look at Silvia. "Help out Laura."

Is all I say before pushing open the door. The battle takes twenty minutes. Gladly thanks to our sheer numbers and constant shifting the sub-bosses only took me down to the yellow while everyone else was relatively green. We cheered and rallied. They completely forgot, or rather suppressed, what happened in the beginning. That was good. This time on the way back to town I pulled Jane away from the group.

"What are you planning?" She gives me a devilish smile.

"Let's just say I'm grooming you."

"Grooming?" When she doesn't answer me I try again.

"What for?" Her face is expressionless.

"I'll hold onto that secret a little while longer." I sigh as I finally notice my name is flashing.

I open up the menu and see that I've become a level twenty-five. I doubt killing all those enemies was the reason why. It must have been because of the skills I maxed out. "Good news."

"Something like that." I check my mail.

The boss was found. "No rest for the wicked."

I leave the group and head to the meeting place at the eighth tier.

One month later.

I slash downwards on the blob. Its dies with that fairly weak hit. The dungeon I was in was on the twelfth tier.

"H-hey." "Wait up." Ike and Nico called out.

There were two of my oldest friends. "Sorry about that. Got into the swing of things."

The Black Rose sword Diana had given to me had been upgraded several times since. I now held a green sword that had ivy growing from it to form the hilt. _Nature's_ _Virtue_. The sword was heavier than the last one. I was at level twenty-eight, average for most of the fifty clearers. They were busy on tiers thirteen through fifteen. Grinding or questing. I was treasure hunting with my friends. Since then we had repeatedly challenged that dungeon on tier seven they were at a satisfactory level. Twenty-two at the lowest, twenty-five at the highest. Though Diana had gone off with me for a lot of...private practice that she was actually a level higher than me.

"That woman is scary." Nico remarks.

"I know." I had since bought a house on the twelfth tier.

A quant little cottage with an attic. It was in a secluded part of the field, away from both hordes and players. I once asked Jane about her spectacular knife throwing skill.

"Its an extra ability." She told me.

"Its the javelin throwing ability under the throwing skill, supposedly." I blinked.

Javelin throwing. "Can that even work with knives?"

She stopped. "Technically it just puts a lot more of an impact on the things I throw. If I were to have a spear in hand...the result would be devastating."

I trusted her on that. I wouldn't want her throwing one around me. "Anyway, where in the hell is that boss."

We had been scrambling around for two hours, trying to find the door. "OVER HERE!"

Someone yelled. It was Amethyst. She had gotten over her trauma from the seventh tier and was an avid attacker now. Her past timidness and fear of monsters had long since past. "Right. Guys ready."

They nod before dashing towards her. They now had a guild uniform courtesy of a certain somebody with a maxed out sewing skill. White clothes with streaks of light. I don't know how but the light often formed wing or halo motifs around them. So it was amazing to see them fight, light bringers. Angels, each and everyone of them. The Alliance of White Wings were angels amongst groups. We even got mentioned in the Paper as such. It was truly a guild that many wanted to join. But it was an exclusive group of friends from the outside. I had warmed up to the idea of joining a lot. I might even ask it soon. We opened the door to the boss. _Dead_ _Kin_. It was a large mummified corpse inside a coffin. It was tricky in that it summoned _Wretched_ hordes to attack from several sides.

"Alright." Nico, Ike, and I charge in.

We were a great team. Nico and I were quick and dealt moderate damage often. Ike was our support. His spear had a range that we lacked so he'd make sure we don't get overrun. We made it to the coffin. The boss was stationary target with little else to defend itself with asides from the summoned hordes. The rest of the White Wings arrived and helped us. Nico and I dealt it a blow that reduced it to little more than nothing. The health bar was red. The coffin cracked and was about to shatter. I pulled the guys back as it did so.

"Holy mother––" A giant hand reached out and grabbed me from between my two friends.

A slightly less armored version of the _Mummified_ _Banneret_ stood before me. It roared at me as it tried to squeeze me into oblivion. Déjà vu much. Well as my brief lapse in concentration past I realized this time was different. I had my sword out and at the ready. The thing was about dead anyway, what else would I––My eyes were wide as I realized what it held in its mouth. My arm. I looked at the arm holding my sword and in a second the illusion was broken. The thing lunged at my head with its mouth open. Even though I was a strong clearer there were somethings that don't change in game. Like dying instantly from a beheading. I thrusted upwards as the fangs came near. I strained as the teeth came closer...and closer...and closer...

"...!" The wordless battle cry from my trusted comrade and g...yeah, friend yeah, that's what I totally meant to say.

But I digress. Now back to the current issue. Fangs were centimeters away and I was about to give. But my personal Angel was there to save my butt again. She threw six knives that hit the boss squarely in an eye. The thing recoiled and then froze, the last of its health obliterated. The thing died there and then. I fell fourteen feet to the ground.

"Ow." I sit up and rub my head.

My health was red. "Damn it. If I ever have to become the damsel in distress again I'm going to delegate that position to Reese."

"Hey. I'm not the one with the girly body there." I was insulted.

"For the record, I'm lean and mean. Shay or Laura here are the ones that should be the ones with the girly bodies."

"What about me?"

"Like I said Shay or Laura here are the ones that can be considered to have––" Jane's fist sent me skidding.

I was hurt so bad I had to be dragged out. Outside the dungeon I explained what I meant to Jane. After making some very good excuses and compliments to her she took me off her 'to-die" list. I was still going to follow her like a kicked puppy though, better safe than sorry.

"Well now that its settled, here." I was sitting on the ground, trying not to act like I was groveling.

I took her hand and stood. She then rapidly tapped somethings from her menu. A few seconds later I received the invite. It was an invitation to join the guild. I didn't skip a beat. I hit accept.

"Took you long enough." I said as the icon appeared next to my name.

A halo with white wings. Then I was promptly lifted up into the air. "W-wait. You guys no!"

"Three cheers!" I was violently hurled up into the air.

Though I think the tanks got a bit to enthusiastic when they threw me into a tree. I lay sprawled out on the ground. I couldn't suppress the laughter that bubbled up from me. The others joined in too. We were a guild. A family, a very strange family. On the walk back to town Jane dragged me behind a tree. Her own special gift for joining her guild.

But just in the middle of it I got a message.

"Ruined the mood." I open it up. I have never felt so shaken up as I was reading that message.

"I have to go now." I separate from Jane and use a crystal to get to the fifteenth floor.

"What happened." I asked E-stone as he grimaced.

"Its as I said. The scouting party was annihilated." Impossible.

The scouts were well into the hardest to kill of the clearing players. They were always told to prioritize surviving over anything else. But to have a wipe...

"How many?"

"Nine, three from each of the clearing guilds." Practically a fifth of our forces had been taken out.

"No way..." The room, where the various guilds met to strategize, darkened.

"I'll go this time." E-stone looked stunned.

"No way. Solo player."

This was Set, a damage dealer who wielded a mace, and leader of the Orionis Order. Their symbol was a constellation, the Hunter. "What we know is that they didn't even make it to the boss room. We had people monitoring them from over here in the city and they got wiped out one by one here." He showed me the map.

It was a large area just before the stairs to reach the next floor which had the boss. But this couldn't be right. "No...that can't be. That's a safe zone!" Set nods.

"Exactly, that means that it was players who killed them. Do you happen to know anyone who kills players with a passion?" It was a rhetorical question.

There was only one obvious answer. "Eld."

"Exactly. And from what we learned at the second boss battle was this. He's aiming for you. He has a special something in store for you." I felt my body tremble.

"And you know what else?" This one was a real question directed at me.

"What is it now?"

"We won't let him." I looked at the guild master.

Obvious confusion on my face. "Your an invaluable member of the clearing group. Your the one that told us the attack pattern for the first boss. Your the one that held back three hordes when our tank line was being demolished at tier nine. Your the guy from the twelfth boss battle that held the front line for twenty-seven minutes so our reinforcements could swap out with those inside." I stiffened slightly, only twenty-seven minutes.

"The list goes on and on. That point being that you do amazing things. Your an idol amongst the clearers." I felt my ego grow a bit.

Just a bit mind you. "Hell, if you were a bit more outgoing you could be up here with us. A guild master." I didn't believe that, and my face must have shown it.

"Its true." This was E-stone now.

"Actually when I was first leading us around I was thinking of giving up with each step we took. But then I'd see how hard you'd fight. I didn't see just you Sol. I saw a lot of people alongside you. I saw my best friends, my brother, the first people I made friends with here in this world...And I saw the people who I failed to save." No way.

Was he actually saying this. No. I'm imagining it all. He can't be serious. "You're our banner. I'm sure there are plenty more people who look at you during a fight and see that you have people behind you. You fight with everything and everyone." I clenched my fist.

I should tell them. My secret, my truth. Let it destroy their imagined notions about me. I wasn't this noble. I wasn't even that strong. Yet here I am, being referred to as an idol. I don't believe it. I looked around, no one was arguing. No one. Red wasn't among the people gathered but they were all veteran clearers. These people commanded respect.

"I see." There was only one of two things I can do here. "I see."

I approach them and bow. Then I asked one thing from them.

"Of course." The other clearers exited. I clenched my hand. I wasn't planning on revealing this till much later, when I felt more confident. I hit a few options on my menu and took down a hiding skill I had.

"Alright what was it that you––" They saw it. That emblem that glowed bright in the room.

"I won't die. I won't." It took less to convince them when they saw that. A lot less convincing.

I was only going to lead a small team. Not on a scouting mission but for finding these PKers. I considered carefully who was coming with me. I already had a few in mind but I had to go see them personally. I met this guy during the tenth tier boss fight, he was an amazing fighter. He was currently around the thirteenth tier. Item harvesting no doubt. I sigh as I go looking for him. The forest he was hunting in was thick with dead, broken trees. Several undead type monsters haunted around here. I found him taking on a horde of three high level _Damned_. The fiery ghosts screeched as they soared at him. I wasn't all that worried. He used a one handed axe. Or was it a hammer. I couldn't really tell, one side was a semi-circular blade about the size of a split dinner plate while the other side was a hammer head. He wielded this thing as easily as a knife. And his other hand was just as effective since he could chain together weapon and unarmed specials.

"Yo, Caesar." The guy, maybe seventeen, maybe sixteen-ish, grunted before he did a full circle spin with the bladed side of his weapon.

The three Damned howled before dying. "What's up?"

"I need your help."

"What's the issue?" I knew the type of effect what I was about to say would have on him.

"Player killers." He rested the axe on its loop of sturdy cloth, a type of scabbard for axe and hammer weapons. "When can we start."

A little background on Caesar. I first met him during the tenth boss fight but I didn't become good friends with him until the twelfth tier. I was out in the field gathering healing draughts for some personal level grinding when I noticed some player icons. I heard a crash a saw one of the icons disappear. I rushed recklessly through the forest to find the clearing they were in. Three tanks were surrounded by five bandit like players.

"Y–you bastards." One of them swung his sword and forced one of the PKers back.

"If you just stand quietly I'll send you with them." A spear user lunged forward and penetrated a spot that wasn't covered by thick armor.

The tank gasped before disappearing. I clenched my hands and leapt in.

"What the–" I sliced the head off the spear and landed next to the remaining tanks.

"What in hell are you?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't help your friend. But I'm here now." With that I spend the next three hours beating off players.

I was completely surrounded when one of the tanks did something surprising. She, I later learned she was a she, threw down her shield and weapon to charge into the battle. She took two bandits with her before dying. I was shocked as I leapt through the opening she made for me to escape. The last remaining tank was trembling bad. "These bastards..."

His axe looked about ready to break. "I-I'm sorry. I wasn't even able to save you both."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Its okay. She wanted me to give this to her brother. He's off soloing somewhere near the clearers." He handed me a cube.

"Do me a favor. Tell him we were strong."

"What––" He then stunned me and threw me high into a tree.

Seven more Pkers appeared as he fought on. He died after reducing three of them to nothing. I found the girl's brother after some bargaining with another pal. She pointed him out later that night. His red hair tied into a tail that seemed to burn like the anger he'll have. He was a damage dealer for sure, armored but not like a tank. He was fast, but not like some of the other agile players. He was the in between, a brute if you must.

"What do you want?" He said with evident menace and an attitude that said _I-will-kick-your-ass_.

I was able to get him to a private area where I threw him the light cube. I turned away out of respect as the message played. When he was done sobbing I offered him a hand.

"Its my fault." I tell him.

"I wasn't able to save them, any of them." He promptly knocked me down and wailed on me.

"Shut up. SHUT UP!" He told me as he landed one final blow.

"You did nothing wrong!" That shocked me and at the same time I was wondering why he was beating me.

"Nothing wrong..." He sobbed again.

The next morning he asked one thing of me. I lead him to the spot where his friends and sister got jumped. He lead me deeper into the thick foliage and we found their base. I turned a blind eye to him as I knocked down PKers. I destroyed the camp. I turned to him. It was just him standing with his one handed axe.

"They got away then?" He looked at me with red, puffy eyes.

"Yes. They got away." That's how I left it, as far as I was concerned they had escaped.

Even if I did see their dropped gear strewn across the camp. From then on we added each other to our friends lists.

"Thank you." He said to me before leaving for whatever he was going to do.

The next person I went to gather was best described as my personal blacksmith. She had come across as a mousy girl with mousy hair. But after saving her...she became my self-proclaimed fangirl of sorts. She threw herself at me as soon as I shut her door. The last time she had kissed me on the lips and prompted a harassment warning. So in hindsight this was progress. I was reluctant to call on her but if I needed to incapacitate someone, she was it. She wielded a mace like no one else. I had given her that mace too, it had ailment bonuses like crazy. Paralyzes, stun, petrification. If I wanted something, or someone, stopped this was the person for it.

"I'm going to fall Wayland." I have no idea why she chose such a masculine name. I thought I heard it before.

She told me it was the reason she became a blacksmith. I didn't question it after that. She calmly lead me back to her back room and kitchen. She did a full equipment switch, which I turned away from for her modesty's sake.

"So what do you need. Armor. Swords. A girlfriend."

"Again with that joke. It gets old after a while." I honestly couldn't tell if she was joking or being serious. I hoped she was joking. For her sake and my life if _she_ found out.

Though if I took her behavior whenever I enter her shop as an indication...I calmly sipped my tea. "So what is it you need darling." Her pink dress could have been an inch or two longer, just incase someone walked in and saw this scene.

"Remember Eld." She stiffened.

"I think they found him. I need people I can trust." She grasped my hand in both of hers. "Let me get some armor."

The story about how I met this girl, who was probably older than me, is short. I was napping up a tree, don't question it, when I rolled over and into a horde. They were a low level horde mind you. But they were creepy as hell so my first reaction was to run. After getting hopelessly lost I found a dirt covered girl digging in the mud. I stepped on a twig and she started.

"S-sorry. I got lost." When she calmed down I immediately knew she was traumatized.

She barely spoke. She was terrified of me. She was slow in responding to things I said and her eyes had a faraway expression. I could only guess what happened. When I didn't do anything for a while she returned to her task. Then I'd move and she'd look at me, terrified.

"Look I won't hurt you." I took a few steps back and she got back to her digging spot.

"What's your name?" She just kept on digging.

I just sat against a tree, thinking I might have found a nice napping spot. I fell asleep for twenty minutes, at least. I woke up with a start because of the system's killing intent. It was a sort of intuition when something was aiming at you, a sort of early warning that players have. I drew my sword and instantly was knocked back. _Savage_ _ape_. It was a monster, the thing was easily four times my size.

"Damn!" It looked like that thing could kill easily.

I leapt to the side and saw a bush shivering. "Come on!" I sheathed my sword and carried the girl in my arms.

Then it was a chase through the woods. The girl kept screaming in my arms, the harassment message filling her vision no doubt. I skidded to a halt in front of a stone wall. I placed the girl inside another bush and covered her with plenty of leaves and fronds.

"Stay here–"

The ape slammed me against the wall. Its arm pinned me as I saw saliva drip from its tusks. I used _Phalanx_ to break its arm and then kicked off its chest to put some distance between us. The then Black Rose glittered in the ambient light. _Crescent_ silenced the beast's howling. I stood huffing for a moment, then I noticed that the bush was empty.

"Now where did you go?" I scanned around for a player marker.

"High quality. Rareness is high. Needs a good sharpening." The tiny voice came from my side.

It was her, she was admiring the Black Rose. "S-so you can talk."

With that it was as if a spell had been broken. She dashed off into the forest. "H-hey, wait up."

I thought I knew where to find her. In ten minutes I found her digging in her patch of ground. Glittering stones were barely visible. Then I realized it, whatever trauma she had endured it was related to ores. I scanned around us and determined that there were no enemies near by. I got onto my knees and helped her dig. She backpedaled away rapidly, but I knew what to do. I continued on with her task and uncovered more of the ores. Gradually she neared. We spent ten minutes uncovering the glittering stones. In the end she was leaning heavily against a tree, panting and gasping for breath.

I handed her the ore. "Here." She cupped it in her hands and held it close to her heart. Her sobs were quiet.

The forest seemed to suck them in and snuff out the cries of sorrow and of pain. I draped a cloak over her shoulders and took her back to town. She looked weak and ragged. I wondered when was the last time she slept or ate in-game. It was possible to show others a small status screen that showed the time elapsed since the last time slept or ate. But I doubted she could have walked a straight line let alone opened up that specific menu. The first thing that I showed her was a café. It was relatively empty asides from some NPCs. I bought her some food and watched her cry a little with each bite she took. I remembered what the high S+ class meals tasted like, and how the shock that something can taste that good drove me tears. But this was regular NPC made food, nothing all that special. It must have been a long time since she had a decent meal. The next thing I had to do was get her some new gear. I messaged Red since she was close.

She arrived in twenty minutes. "Who's this?" She immediately asked.

I explained the state in which I found her in, and then I asked if she could take her shopping.

"S-sure. Will she come with me, though?" The girl was hiding behind me, afraid.

It took some coaxing and a lot of patience but she finally followed Red to the market. Over the next hour I spent my time watching the dividing sky above. I wondered just what stars were supposed to mimic. If you looked up at certain times you could see mysterious lights flashing in the sky. They came back and I hardly recognized her.

"Sol, this is Wayland." I had wondered her name for quite a while.

I greeted her, using her username. She gave me a cute curtesy. Red then suggested she get some sleep. After she hugged me for some reason she followed Red again. I wouldn't see her for a few days. But she seemed to mostly recover. She didn't talk about before I found her but I saw the change. She was happy and smiling. She was especially happy when Red and I were around. But back to the second time I saw her. She was working a small portable forge next to the café. People were gathered around her. Admiring her work. I couldn't help it as well. She made some amazing pieces, even going so far as to make me some special lightweight gauntlets. I was mesmerized by her skill.

Afterwards when her crowd had died down she let me see it. "T-three hundred!"

That was about a third of the skill. The most advanced blacksmith I had met was around two-hundred at best. She must have been making full sets of armor since the game started.

"Are you proud?" She asked me.

I didn't understand why my opinion mattered but I gave it.

"YES! I mean, this is amazing." I took a moment to think.

"That's it." I grabbed her hand and lead her to the edge of town.

"W-where are we going?" She asked me timidly.

"Well that little roadside shop doesn't fit you." I stopped by the market and chock-full the sell window with high level treasures and collect the money.

We walk for a while longer before we're standing in front of it. "This is your shop." I hit the buy option and exhausted my reserve of Lire.

"W-what!?" I switch the deed over to her. "You heard me. This is your smithy now. Treat it well." She hugged me, again.

She practically squeezed me flat. "To tight!" She let go, blushing.

"S-sorry." I smile. "Well don't worry. You'll get to work off this small debt to me."

"WORK!" I smile.

"Congratulations. Your my personal blacksmith now. That means you'll have to put up with me till the end of the game." Nothing can accurately describe the sparkle in her eyes as I said that.

The last person who I met with was a person who was introduced to me by Gent. "I don't come cheap but you'll soon find out why." Was her opening line to me.

She was an amazing information gatherer. Her skills with unarmed combat and a knife were also nothing to look down on. Her hair was constantly ruffled by the hood she wore. But the constants about her were the two locks of hair that framed her doll-like face. I was originally hostile against her, for obvious reasons but she proved to be an exception, like Caesar.

Now let me explain why I was originally against her.

"This is my comrade." Gent introduced us.

The doll-like girl in front of me didn't seem all that impressive but looks can be deceiving. I should be living proof of that. "I don't come cheap but you'll soon find out why. My name is Gaia." I shake her hand.

"So–"

"Yes yes. Sol. Wonder boy. Solo of the clearing group. I know." I felt a bit irate at the this girl in front of me.

"Yes yes formalities over now." She took a seat and I sat down across from her.

"Now then I'll leave you to do business." Gent left immediately.

"What a useful guy." Gaia said.

She then let out a quiet laugh. "So why are we here?" I finally asked.

"Ah well that's the question worth all the Lire isn't it. Well let me tell you this. Sol, your an idiot." I nodded.

I've been called several rude things for being unnaturally good. Although this one was a bit out of the blue I was use to getting spontaneously called out and insulted.

"I want to change that." Now that was really a curve ball.

"What do you me––" She threw me a cube.

I caught it. It was an audio recording.

"..." A light crackling sound could be heard.

Maybe leaves underfoot. "...Sol..." I froze.

No way. This voice, it has to be that guy. Eld. "Sol...he's cheated death one to many times, I think its about time we slice him down a peg...or four."

Some light cackling could be heard. I was listening intently when Gaia's hand came out and snatched it away. "Again, I don't come cheap."

After haggling with some bits of armor I had I got the cube recorder back. "Brother Blue, what will you do when we meet his lady Red?" I shivered.

"I'll paralyze her and string her up in the field." There was some laughs at this.

"And..."

"I'll steal that cloak, and whatever else is underneath. Let all the wild animals and players get an uncensored view of that fair skin." I thought I heard the sound of metal on metal.

"Brother Deg, what will you do?" There was a maniacal type laugh.

"I'll string that halfwit up by his thumbs and use him for a dart board." I fearfully rubbed my thumbs.

"Then I think we'll drag his Red over to see him. To call out to him. We'll start with his wrists and ankles, then work our way up to the main event." There was a sickly silent pause.

"His scrawny neck." There were several cheers at this.

Then a small crackling sound again. "Wait! There! Get that––" The cube fell silent as the recording ended.

"W-what was that?" Gaia took the cube back.

"I think we both know what that was." There was a cold moment when all I could do was clench my hand and be mad.

"As I've said before, your stupid. Did you really think this...degenerate would simple let you go after being deterred two times?" I was hopeful, but somewhere I knew that he was still looking for me.

"Now he has his guild. His group, the Scarlet Abyss." I shivered.

Only a killing guild could fit a name like that. "And he plans on murdering you. I think this little snippet is enough to convince you that we need to take immediate action." I agreed.

"But the clearing group is to busy to deal with rumors and the like. I'd go with one of the lower tier guilds but I rather don't like sending people to their deaths." I agreed with her there.

It was highly likely that Eld was plotting something. But it wasn't a sure thing that would bring the clearing group from the higher tiers, especially if it was just some audio recording and not a shot of the man himself. I didn't like to think what would happen if some of the other lower level guilds went after him. I had a flash back to the first two boss battles. If Eld had just gone straight to it and attacked me I wouldn't get lucky. I'd be dead. But instead he'd tried to let a boss finish me off. Then he tried torturing me and wasted his window of opportunity. But now he had people around him. And he had a plan so that he can waste as much time killing me as he wants. I rub my shoulder where Eld had stuck his dagger in at the second tier boss fight. This was something I had to deal with personally.

"Now this is a one time deal I'm going to offer you. I'll give you a gathering location and time for their meeting. All you have to do is bring me along for back-up." So what did I do. I brought her along.

"Is it much farther?"

"At least four more hours, this forest maze can't be bypassed." I grumbled quietly.

When I couldn't take blindly stomping through the woods any longer I sat down. "Tired Solo." I lightly glared at her.

"How is it that you know this place anyway?" It was a reasonable question.

Her face took a darker expression. "Oh...Let's just say for several days I was on talking terms with Eld." I felt my blood freeze.

In an instant sparks flew from her dagger as my sword came down. I had shot towards her, weapon drawn. "Who are you?"

For a second I saw something, something I've only seen in Eld in her eyes. I was unnerved. She kicked me back and retreated a bit into the forest. "Just a concerned player."

There might have been a hint of a lie in her voice. I fought her for hours until I finally cornered her against a cliff edge. "This can only end one way." I tell her as I level my sword.

"Idiot. I'm not a PKer." She was blatantly lying there.

We both knew it. "I see."

I take a measured step towards her. "Tell me why you really brought me he––" A knife pierced my heart, a critical blow.

I toppled forward from the paralyzes ailment that was afflicted on me. "Well if it isn't the deserter and the golden goose." I grimaced. "Eld."

The next second his boot slammed into my face and knocked me unconscious. Fun fact, unconsciousness is an ailment as well. I remember only my health bar with a black diamond pulsating through my eyelids. Searing the image into my mind. When my eyes finally opened I was at the bottom of a pit like cave. A large hole at the top of the cave trembled slightly. "Well well. If it isn't out little pin cushion."

"Eld..." I glared at him.

"Would you like something while your down there. A bed, some food, a beverage?" That smile of his sent a chill down my back.

"Why am I alive?" His smile wavered.

"Killing you while your asleep is not fun. I'd like to see you go through the stages before dying." Stages?

"Don't worry. You wont' be alone. That little," He strangled the air.

I could only think of one person who he could be after. Red. He sighed. "But don't worry. She'll be here soon enough."

"Eld. Whatever your planning–" A knife flew at me and pinned my foot to the ground.

I gritted my teeth. "I already know what your thinking. I won't stop with just you. I won't. Now wait patiently for your execution." I bent down and pulled out the throwing knife.

"Before I forget," He leaned out of the way of the knife as it flew at him.

"I've already notified your friends. Don't worry, we'll let them see you in your final moments." I wanted to kill him.

Eld, the bastard. As soon as he was gone I immediately tried to climb the cave wall. I got half way up the thirty foot wall. Then the rocks broke off and I fell. After picking myself up and watching my health regenerate I attempted again.

And again. I must have been doing this for three hours. I heard clapping, Eld was back. "So we finally got your friend. She's been putting up quite a bit of resistance. Don't worry, the boys are going to take good care of her." I felt my body shake.

No. They couldn't have got her. Not her. Red...I immediately climbed, Eld looked at me with a slightly amused expression. He laughed as I fell half a dozen times. I grabbed one of the stones and threw it at him. He exited the cave before I got a lucky throw in.

"ELD!" I kept trying.

Must, its not an option. Mo matter how bad things would get here I'd crawl out and strangle him if I had to.

"AHHHHH!" I threw myself at the wall one more time, I climb up and past the point where I fall.

I grab the edge of the hole overlooking my natural cell. I pull myself over it and onto ground. Looking around I see no one around. My stomach wrings me full of pain."NNNOOO!"

I dashed off in the direction of the scream. It takes me ten minutes to crash into their camp. Its semicircular around a post. Eld was opposite it, in a large seat, a throne. The five other PKers also seemed startled to see me. I dashed forward, weaponless. The one who was trying to force the girl tied to the post to do something was in my sights. The tank lifted his shield as I got close. I slammed into it hard.

"GAAHHH!" I gripped the edge of the shield hard and wrenched it down.

I was face to face with the PKer. My angry expression countering his startled one. I slammed my head into his nose and saw him recoil. My fist glowed. The special _Shatter_ connected with the shield and sent the tank sliding back. The others were getting their weapons ready. I leapt at the pole behind me, I destroy the wooden column and free her.

"HAA!" I duck under a _Crescent_ from a PKer.

I tackle him to the ground and beat him. I use _Phalanx_ at point blank range I render his left arm, the one he used to shield his face, useless and broken. I rolled off him as a dagger wooshed by me. I grab a great sword and ready my stance. "Can you hear me?" I call over my shoulder.

"Run, I'll hold them off." I lunged forward and parried a blow from Eld.

I leapt away and was bashed from behind by the tank. "Brother Blue, keep at it!" I glared at the tank, at Blue.

I used _Ankle_ _Breaker_ to knock him down. "Don't mess with me!" I throw the great sword at Eld. Aiming for his neck.

But sadly miss. "Now Deg!" A knife pierced my side.

A man with eyes as wide as the moon and a cheshire cat grin. He drove the blade into my up to the hilt. I used _Palm_ _Strike_ on him and send him flying. I pull the knife out of my ribs and look at the three standing PKers. I concentrate on only one of them. Eld. I dash forward, ignoring the weapons coming at me as I close the distance.

"ELD!" Our knives collide and sparks fly.

We turn and separate. My back to the forest, I watched Eld's knife glow. My health had somehow stayed green as Eld launched at me. _Breaker_, the two consecutive strike attack hit me fully. I flew back and slammed into a tree. My health flashing yellow, almost red. I stood shakily. Get out of here. Every last nerve screamed.

But Red was still–– "Loo––" The PKer flopped to the ground.

I saw a cloak flutter. Most of her equipment had been de-equipped when I had freed her from the pole. She must have grabbed this tattered thing to cover up. The dagger she wielded glowed. I now recognized the move she used. _Rivet_. "Gaia?!"

I lunged forward during the confusion and knocked down one of Eld's guards, or what I thought was his guard. Eld leapt back as the knife past within inches of his neck.

"Fight back! We are going to murder them!" Eld stared right at me as he spoke.

Blue surged from my right and tackled me. His fist felt heavy as it repeatedly punched me. "GRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAA!" It was like he was foaming at the mouth. I stabbed the knife into his shoulder and watched him wince. "DIE!" So he was capable of putting two thoughts together.

His fist glowed and I knew my health wouldn't be able to take the hit. "Incoming!" I saw a brown boot glow before colliding with his head.

Blue flew off me as Gaia stood there. Recovering from her special. "Just a few more sec––" I saw how low her health was.

We weren't going to last two more minutes. She dropped to her knees next me. I stood, panting. The strain and fatigue of fighting and slowly dying was taking its toll. Eld smiled as his dagger glowed. If it was _Breaker_ we wouldn't survive. I glanced at Gaia. Eld lunged and I grabbed Gaia by the hood of her cloak. I threw her into a bush, leaving my side open to Eld.

"HAHAHAHAHHA!" He seemed to have lost it.

His blade was about to pierce me. I wanted to see it, to watch, but I just closed my eyes. I heard a tearing sound and metal on metal. I'm dead, I just know it. I open my eyes and see Eld, without an arm. "Not again!" He howled.

A red cloak stood between him and me. "Retreat!" Eld called as more people rushed from the forest around him.

He charged into the woods with maybe ten players after him. I huffed, then laughed.

"Thanks for the save Red." I drop the knife.

"Sit down." She said as she saw me totter.

I chugged down a few healing draughts and rested against the remains of the pole.

"Thank god we made it in time." She told me that after Eld sent them the message that I had been caught, and how someone sent their location data to the clearers.

"There was immediate action. We have a few more on the way, they'll probably track Eld and his guild for a few more hours. If they don't get him then at least he'll stay away for a bit longer." I nod.

Then I frown. Gaia sat away from us, Gent was at her side asking her several questions. She had all her gear on again. Though I doubt she'll get over what Eld did anytime soon. When she's done with Gent I pull her aside. "I know you don't like us PKers," She started off.

"But that was under a different situation. I did what I had to do to make sure I survived. Eld just happened to think I was one of his psychopath buddies." I apologize.

Several times. "No, your not all at fault. I should have come clean about myself first. Then we wouldn't have been blindsided by Eld and all this," I nod, before she finishes. I apologize again as my eyelids weigh down on my vision.

"I'm sorry. I just...didn't think there was a person like you out there." She nods stiffly.

"I guess there isn't. But just so you know," I saw a glint in her eyes.

"Eld is mine to take care of." It would take several days before we had established something similar to trust. We forgave each other and tried to move on. Though I still feel a pang of guilt about what happened.

I pace around the entrance to the dungeon. Wayland is busy nibbling on a sandwich. Caesar is staring intently at his weapon. Probably gathering his grit before heading into the dungeon. Red arrived. "I heard, your some type of crazy." I shrug.

Jane arrives a few minutes later. "Your an idiot. A full blown idiot." I somehow get her to put off the scolding for later.

"I don't come cheap, remember that?" Gaia said as she sneaked by me.

I look at my small team. We were approaching the size of a boss scouting team. Wayland eyed all the girls with a hint of menace and hostility. I sense that Jane and Red wanted to be put apart. Caesar was as calm as a rock. He held his weapon at the ready. Gaia just yawned and looked over a few bits of armor that was her payment. "Alright. I know you all heard of Eld so I'll make this short." I looked at the dungeon entrance.

"In there is probably the most dangerous thing in this game. He'll kill without hesitation, he has psychopaths for allies. He killed nine of the clearers as they were heading to the boss room." I saw Caesar tremble.

"Now in here we'll need to trust each other a lot. More than if this was a regular dungeon clearing." I wanted to make sure there was teamwork here.

"That's why there won't be secrets here. Gaia, Caesar. Diana, Red, Wayland If you have a problem leave now. If not, you can say your piece." No one moved.

No one said a thing. "The groups will need to absolutely count on each other." I looked at Gaia, she knew what I meant.

"There is no room for sudden revelations and suspicion." She kept quiet.

Caesar watched the floor. "I'll say it if you won't." I saw Wayland look at all the people around.

It was Caesar that was spoke up. "Fine then."

Then Wayland and Red chimed up. "We don't have any secrets that will harm the group." I just looked at them.

"Wayland here is terrified of the undead-like monsters. She'll freeze up on you for whole minutes if one gets to close." I saw Wayland go bright scarlet.

"Red, you forget that asides from me your also very high on Eld's hit list. Your a key member of the clearing group. Your confident and have a strong will. But its that confidence and stubbornness that might get us all up to our necks in problems." She glared at me. "W-what!" I looked at Jane as she started.

"You actually have people waiting for you to come back. Your a guild leader and as cold as ice. But you also keep most of your thoughts and plans to yourself. Against Eld we don't need to go Solo." She just blinked at me.

I guess she didn't expect me to use her own words against her. I finally got to the most troublesome pair.

"Caesar." He looked at me cooly.

"You hate PKers with a passion. We don't need hot heads, especially with Eld. If you lose it I will knock you down. I won't have anyone die here." He nodded to me.

"And Gaia. I hope your personal vendetta against Eld won't get in the way." She nods.

"Not anymore than yours. But as a side note, your just as hotheaded, impulsive, arrogant, and stubborn as the rest of us. Maybe even more so." I nod, she was probably right. Probably.

"When your right, your right. But to get this out into the open. They need to know." She stiffened.

"I guess it beats Eld telling them." She whispered.

I turn to face the others. "Gaia here will be the one Eld tries to goad the most. He'll bring up her past as a PKer." The life seemed to drain from everyone.

"Any questions? Good. Caesar I want you to link with her––" I saw his axe swing down. Gaia leapt back in time to avoid the worst of it. I then watched them try to kill each other.

"Great, just great."


	5. Phase 04

**A/N–This chapter has a few things done differently. Including a bit more backstory in a very interesting style. Like it, Hate it, comment or PM me. I also figured out a few things I'd like to test out in later chapters, see you.**

Phase 04 Assault

I expected this to happen but actually seeing it was another thing. I sighed deeply. I charged in the middle of them. Her knife stabbed into my ribs, I grabbed onto his axe before he sliced off my arm. It took them a heartbeat to calm. I sigh again. Then I slam my elbow hard into Caesar's ribs. He gasps. I disarm him and headbutt him hard. He drops back, smarting.

"Alright, now that that's settled." I lifted Caesar up, dusted him off and handed him his weapon back.

"Now then as I was saying, I need you to link with Gaia." I saw his eyes burn.

"Remember, we don't need hot heads. Besides she's an ally." He looked ready to slaughter her.

I glared back at him, then I whispered. "Not all PKers are murders by choice. Some are. You are aren't you?" With that I saw a spark of agony in his eyes.

Then he bowed his head and discreetly coughed into his shoulder. After I saw him operate his menu and Gaia except the request I returned to the dungeon's entrance.

"Alright, Wayland." I sent her the request, she was overjoyed as she accepted.

That left Diana and Red to pair up. "Now, I know that there are better people here who can lead but I only have one goal and plan in mind." I operated my inventory, selecting two potions. I threw one to Caesar.

"We are not here to fight monsters, only to find and disperse Eld and his company. I won't allow anyone to die here. We get into deep trouble we teleport out." I saw everyone nod.

"We won't kill," unless necessary.

It was left unspoken but I could feel that they picked up on it. "Knowing Eld he'll know he's beat and escape. If we can we'll take him in. But what I'm worried about is the Scarlet Abyss. Eld's PKer guild." I saw Red shiver.

"Gaia, any idea on their numbers?" She yawned, her eyes a bit watery.

"Yeah, took a lot of time to piece together." She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking.

"If the sightings are spot on, then he has somewhere around thirty PKers." That was a terrible number.

"But we've never seen them in groups larger then ten." Alright.

Ten possible mid-to-high level maniacs. We were six high level clearers. All, except one, had a lot of combat experience. They were experts in killing. They'd have the upper hand, they had been in the room. They knew where to hide, where to attack. I licked my lips. This might not be in our favor, unless I can somehow pull of the stupidest idea ever.

"Caesar." He nods to me.

"That's a speed potion. It makes you quite fast. It has a moderately long duration. You will take it because we're going to run as fast as we can through this dungeon and into that room." He nods.

I turn to Wayland, her orange armor shined. "Wayland, get on my back."

"Excuse me?" I heard three voices say.

"We're doing the equivalent of a speed run here. I don't have another speed potion either and my speed could use some improving." It was true.

I had been putting a few more points into my speed and agility to match my strength increase. But still I doubt I could match Gaia, Diana, and I especially doubt I could match Red. With Wayland on me I'd be going at a tank's pace, but with the speed potion. I'd be able to follow closely.

"Ah, alright?" I kneeled and let Wayland get on.

I uncorked the potion. "Alright, this is it. You will not die." I say the last part in a whisper. I doubt even Wayland could have heard it.

Caesar and I down our speed potions. My body feels lighter, even with the additional weight on it. I look over my comrades, my friends. I let a small smile play across my lips. _Friends, huh._ I look at Cooper. He gives me the thumbs up before disappearing behind Red. I shake my head.

"Let's go." I can only hear the wind whistling as I dash into the dark.

We had gone remarkable far. The speed potion still had a few more minutes when I spotted the door to the safe zone. We stopped right before it. We had sustained minimal damage. Though we were all a bit out of breath. Caesar looked a bit shocked that he could go that fast.

"This is the deciding moment." Wayland gets off me as we approach the door.

"We're going in fast. Caesar, Gaia, with me." Red and Diana would cover the rear.

I placed my hand on the door. I counted off to three in my head. I push through the door and charge. I immediately see three figures waiting in the center of room. One of them is smiling at me. Eld. I draw my weapon and surge directly at him.

"I got him!" His smile never faltered.

Not even as I got halfway to him. Then everything went wrong. Something pierced my left leg, my right shoulder. I saw an arrowhead sticking out of my chest. I kept on running and then two more arrows finally knocked my down. Eld reached down and lifted me up by my neck.

"Hello again, Sol." I spat at him.

My hatred for him flared. I saw about ten PKers rush from behind him. I heard scuffling behind me and I knew the fighting had begun. I was paralyzed, the arrows had barely taken an eighth of my health all together. But Eld choking me was dropping my health quite fast. My regeneration rate was only barely able to match the loss.

"I just love it when a plan bears fruit." He said with such evident excitement that I wanted to lash out.

Instead I just watched him, my paralyzes rapidly ending. I saw one of his guards, Blue, approach. "You know what to do."

Blue grabbed the front of my shirt. He then threw me down hard at Eld's feet. I was sprawled out on the floor, wincing from the sudden impact.

"Now!" I saw a dark shape leap from above the door.

A silvery bow in her hands. I saw them, the glinting arrows. I saw them connect. I was nailed to the floor. I hadn't even thought of something like this. This sadistic way of holding someone down.

"Eld, you bastard let me go!" I struggled but I was as good as fused with the floor.

"Oh hush now. Just watch and enjoy. Your friends versus my guild." I craned my neck to watch them.

My friends against a dozen PKers. Worse odds than one of us for every two of them. Gladly my friends were holding their own. The PKers were used to killing not fighting. There is a difference. Gaia explained it to me. _They kill off the weak. They go as a group and whittle down the health of one then finish him_. Eld was different. But Eld wasn't a clearer. We learned to survive in this world. I saw Caesar knock back three killers with his axe. I grin. They can do this. They are not just prey, they are clearers. Even little Wayland was holding her own. I was glad that I had given her that mace. She was stunning people like crazy.

I let out a laugh. "Amused?" Eld said as he stepped on my arm.

"Very. I'm going to personally drag your ass to prison." He grinned at me.

"You liked what you saw? Your friends fighting off my guild? Don't." I felt cold dread gather in the pit of my stomach.

Looking again I saw that he was right. A killer is a killer. They would fight until they were dead or they killed off their opponent. My friends weren't like that. Gaia had killed out of fear for her survival. Caesar killed for revenge. But none of us killed for the sake of the kill, none of us saw the pleasure. I now saw my friends get whittled down. Their health was in the yellow. Even if the enemy was in the red I doubted even Caesar, in this moment, would take that final blow.

"Now you see the difference. Its kill or be killed here. I'll show you that myself." Eld clapped his hands and I saw his murderers, his killers, his guild, back off.

My friends had their back's pressed against one another. "I congratulate you. You survived the initial attack." Eld was smiling as he said this.

"The others were to surprised and scared to stay together. Do you think it was because they didn't expect us. Or rather." I heard his voice.

It was different. Crueler. "Because I joined the attack." I knew then.

He was different. He wasn't a player. He wasn't even a murderer. "I am a god amongst these weaklings. I hold death in my hands. This is the hand that will hold the key to your salvation." He thought he was right.

No, he knew it with every fiber of his being. He wielded that power of his faith like a weapon, a divine instrument. He knew that he could kill, he knew that he would take a life if he interfered. He was the savior, we were the damned. "Now who wants to go first?" He takes a step towards them.

The atmosphere changes. His guild members bow to him. He was the king here. This death game was his palace, we were only visiting. I knew now, his reason for killing. It was because he can. Because he thought it the ultimate path, the only end.

"Run!" I struggle on the floor. Inching the arrows out of the ground.

I wrench one of my hands free. I pull an arrow out of my other hand. "Run!" I grab my sword pull myself towards Eld.

"And just like that your done." Eld snaps his fingers and his guild returns to the assault.

But things were different. My friends weren't quite as fast. They had lost a bit of their will to fight. In the face of a person like Eld, who would kill and rejoice as an act of God, what else were they to do. Eld watched, his smile lording over all.

"Eld!" I see the battle freeze for a second.

My sword in hand, my feet and hands glowing red from where the arrows pierced them. "I don't care what you think about yourself." I take a step towards him.

"But if you kill in front of me," I tensed.

"I will slaughter you all." I knew then that if Eld managed to kill I'd lose it.

I'd become no better than one of his followers. I'd whittle him down and enjoy killing him. His smile became a bit more...horrid. "If you do that then I may very well chose you as my successor."

We were three feet away. I could stare into his eyes. He could look into mine. I didn't think that I had divine power like Eld did. But I knew I had power as well. Eld thought he knew what the ultimate end of this death game was. I'd like to argue with that. I stab forward. Slicing into his shoulder. His fist knocked me off balance as he thrusted his knife into my side. There was a certain pressure behind his knife, as if he was forcing a bit of death with every attack. I slammed my elbow into his neck and watched him recoil. I remember what the clearing guild masters had said. That I fought with everything and everyone behind me. I personally didn't think I did. But I could be wrong. And right now, against the very symbol of what this game does to people, I wanted to be wrong. My green blade bit into his side. My knee connected with his gut and he doubled over.

"Nice shot." He stabs hard into my knee and topples me.

On the ground I kick at him and roll away as he stabs into the ground. "Tell me Sol. Why do you fight?"

I grab his wrist and push him back as he tries to drive the knife into me. I grit my teeth and kick him off me. "Because I don't want to die."

"Not good enough." Eld lets himself get pierced by sword.

Now he's in range to deal me heavy damage. I'm knocked back by his attack. "Why do you fight?" I spit, a slight metallic taste in my mouth. Though there is no blood.

"Because I don't want my friends to die." I used _Crescent_ and shave a lot of Eld's life away.

"Not good enough." He uses _Shatter_ and knocks me down.

"I'll ask again. Why do you fight?" I grimace and sweep his legs out from under him.

We roll away from one another and stand. I see his health is in the low yellow. Mine is climbing from the red. I look at him, he's not even fazed by the situation. I know he'll win like that. I close my eyes. What am I? What am I fighting for? I remember what I thought once when Diana broke my sword. When Jane broke my sword, I was lost. I remember it now, I was a sword. _Why do you fight?_ I remember asking those same words to someone once. He told me because he could. I remember what I am, a sword that is to be used.

"I fight because I can!" I lunge at Eld.

He blocks my initial attack and I punch him hard. He stumbles back. "Still not good enough." He readies a special.

All my instincts tell me to run, to dodge. But I know what I can do. I step closer to him. My blade glowing. It was a the four hit special, _Lunula._ The first hit is a thrust. It matches his special and cancels it. The next two attacks are like dual _Crescents_. One from right to left, the other from left to right. The final hit starts as a thrust. I follow the motion and step forward to catch Eld low in the ribs. Then I turn, with the blade. The forward momentum abruptly turns into a swinging motion. I stand with my back to Eld. The light fades from my blade as he is knocked back. His stomach had three parallel red lines.

His health is low. "Still not good enough." He says as I turn.

I can still hear the fighting. But Eld was done. I saw the Tank Blue cover him as they both teleported away. I stand straight, my body sore. "AHHHH!" A spear user dashes at me.

I smack his weapon off its aim and stab into his chest. He falls with his health reduced to the red. "Run! Eld has escaped!" I yell.

I see fear cloud the eyes of some of them, then their crystals sparkle in their hands. The firsts to escape all that were in the red. The ones in yellow fought harder for a bit. They too escape. We are all either red or verging to fall into the red. "Oh god that was hard." Caesar complains.

He was the lowest in health, Wayland close behind him. I wasn't all that better though. "Yeah. I guess we forgot about the 'teleport out' part of the plan." I want to fall, to lay on the floor for a bit. To rest.

My healing is slowly taking me out of the danger zone. "Meh. We just didn't want to leave you here with Eld. Who knows what he might have done." I don't show just how tired I was.

I had to show that I wasn't rattled. That I was a sword that is still intact. "Nighty-night!" I turn in a flash.

The one called Deg lunges at me. I feel the impact as it stabs into me. His health is still green. "SOL!" I'm pushed back several feet.

If not for the armor on my hand when I blocked I would have died. The others were slow. Deg was still fresh and ready to fight. "I got this." I raise my sword.

To survive I'd need to avoid getting hit even once for at least a solid minute. For my health to return to the yellow, maybe twenty minutes, maybe ten. I knew that the regenerative factor slows down when your borderline dead. If having maybe four rows of red dots wasn't borderline then I was Ms. Latin America. I raise my sword at Eld's demented follower. He smiles so wide I thick he isn't even human. He seems so different than Eld, or the other PKers. I think he was just to broken to want anything other than to kill. I calm my breathing, and solidify my image. I was a sword, the edge keen, the blade untouched. I was strong, I was solid, I will not die here. I dash to meet Deg. He thrusts at me. His speed unimpaired by fatigue. I block, barely. I shoulder him back and then kick his gut hard. He slides back a few feet. He was very lightly armored. He winks at me before his knife glows. I swallow hard. I doubt that I could stand to parry a special. I duck under the initial slash and then roll to the side as the blade comes back and dives right at me.

I recover. "Come on!" He yells at me.

He then unleashes the fastest barrage of thrusts I've seen. I must have avoided or parried thirty something attacks in twice as many seconds. I duck under one thrust and tackle him. I pin his knife arm and bury my sword into his gut. He smiles at me and punches me hard. I wince as I watch his health dip into the yellow. We roll, our positions reversed. He held my sword in place, still piercing his gut. His knife inched closer to my neck.

"COME ON! COME ON! COME ON!" His mad chant echoed in my ears.

"CO–" I heard a loud thud and he rolled off me.

His health was in the red. Caesar was next to me. The hammer side of his axe glowed and faded. "What?" He said as he helped me up.

I laugh. "Oh god that was something." He hands me a healing draught.

I gladly chug it. "This isn't over!" Deg crawls away, then uses a crystal.

I stare at the place where he had been. Then I scan around the room. Empty. "All right then." I manipulate my inventory.

I hold a pillow in a second. "What are you–" I throw it down and fall. I land face first in soft heaven.

I grumble in the meeting. E-stone and the guild masters announce that Eld has been dealt with. There are some cheers. After a bit more talking about scouting missions I follow Red to a café. "Thanks." I tell her.

"No, it was nothing." I shake my head. I had a preposition for her. It was one I'd have to run through the guild but I had recently been made sub-commander.

"You know you should go and find yourself a guild." She sighs.

"I don't really like most of those tank oriented clearing guilds. They don't have the flexibility I want." I shake my head.

"Look, its just as a precaution. I've been thinking about a few offers now. If I take one I think you should as well." She blinked, wide eyed at me.

"What's with this sudden change from solo?" My coffee beverage arrives.

"Its just Eld. I worry now that if I camp out in the field I'll wake up at the Pearly Gates." She nods.

"I worry about you too." She pauses before drinking her coffee, was it something I said.

I still can't get over the fact that I can't see her expression because of that cloak. "You're on his list just like me. Maybe not as high but your on it." She nods.

"What I'm saying is this, join a guild. Its just to up your life expectancy." I think I see her smile.

"Fine. I'll consider it. On a condition." I feel a bit of dread in me.

"You tell me what great guild you join so I can apply. I wonder if they'll even accept me after having the hero of the clearers, rising star, Sol join them." My fame was for a more closed group.

"Yeah yeah." We split up after that.

I promise to message her. Its been two weeks and four floors since the assault on Eld. We were preparing for the nineteenth boss fight. But today was a special day. It was Jane's birthday and as Sub-commander I was in charge of it. I was cooking while the others were out gathering presents. I had Wayland make mine. It had required a gem and some silver ore. But it was done. I felt embarrassed about it, now that I thought about it. I bought a gift box from a local store. Just two weeks shy of a full six months of our imprisonment. It was nice to have these happy occasions.

_I should have realized then that my time had come. I had pissed off Eld and showed him Jane. I had given him every instrument for my downfall_.

I'm in the kitchen of our guild house. The thing had cost us every last Lire we had but it was worth it. The large house on the fifteenth floor had every luxury in it. Baths. Beds. Kitchen full of utensils. It was in here that I was baking a cake.

"Need help?" Laura asked as she came in from the fairly large living room.

"Nope. Where are Mike and the rest of the guys?" She shrugged.

"They were going to the market. Something about movie night." I had no idea what it was that they could be doing.

In ten minutes the cake was out. I chose the icing and decorated the cake. "That looks amazing!" Mike said as he got home.

I smacked his hand hard. "Its not time yet. Someone know where Jane is?"

Shay answered that. "She's coming. Everyone to their places." I dimmed down the lights.

We heard Jane stumble in. She collapsed on the couch and stayed there. "God, what are you idiots planning?" I paint her lips with icing.

She blubbered as she stood up. "SURPRISE!" I saw a look on her face. She hated the fact of celebrating her birthday. I can't quite remember why.

That just made it all the more pleasurable. "Alright then, impress me." Sim got the cake.

"I'm impressed." Laura had the honors of cutting out the first slice.

We sang "happy birthday" to Jane as she sat in her self proclaimed throne. A recliner. The smile on her overrode the frown she had at the beginning. She was enjoying this one. "Alright its time for the presents."

I can tell you she got a few pairs of shoes, a dress of great quality. A new knife that was from some personal dungeon clearly, courtesy of Sim. A tiara, a slab of meat, which immediately went to me, something in a closed box that Laura told her not to open. Then there was a new cloak and a set of bracelets in one. "Thank you guys."

"Wait up, we have the best." Mike and Jack said smiling. "Well lets see it." They shook their heads.

"Not till lover boy here gives you you gift."

"H-hey!" I hated the fact that my face went red.

I took out the red box. "H-here." I wasn't even sure if she'd like it.

Thankfully she didn't open it. Sadly Laura saw that and took it. "Come on, your ruining the fun." I turned away, the dust on the floor was fairly interesting.

"HOLY CRAP!" Laura held up the diamond ring.

"Holy––" Several eyes set on me.

"What? Overkill." I tugged at my collar.

My face must be scarlet right now. Jane snatched the ring and calmly put it on. "I'm not one for jewelry but thank you."

"I figured that, it has quiet a few stat boosts to make it worthwhile." I probably ruined the mood with that.

"Okay you guys can make out later look at this!" I glared at Mike and Jack.

They held cubes, recording cubes. "Oh, what's in them this time." They grinned like little kids.

"Boss battles." I felt my face become pale.

Jane smiled. "That sounds interesting." She looked at me as she said it.

I needed to get out before I got swamped with questions. "Yeah, we also got an amplifier display." They took out a larger cube that had a slot on top.

I cough into my shoulder. "Well you guys enjoy. I think I'm catching cold." I made to go upstairs.

"Come on, its not like we can get sick from in here. Besides going upstairs will do nothing for you." I was trapped.

"Well that's true Reese." I sat at the back as the guys debated which one.

"The first, we have to start at the beginning."

"I heard the ninth was amazing. Some guy held off like a hundred enemies."

"The twelfth. A guy held back the boss for half an hour there."

It was Jane who decided it. "Well, let's start with number one." I saw them slot the cube in.

Immediately I saw the clearers flood towards _The Mummified Banneret._ That thing looks sick." Immediately as the recorder moved to a better vantage point I saw myself.

I saw Eld lunge at me. Red shoved me out of the way as she parried Eld's strike. "I heard a guy went crazy during the first fight." Jack said.

The boss howled. Red and Eld separated as the dust rose. I saw myself snarl towards the edge of the screen. "Hey." I got up as Nico starts to talk.

"I know him, he's that store owner from...the seventh floor. Remember, where Sol took us." Sid was recognized immediately, I wasn't to far behind then.

I quietly sneaked up the stairs and went to a window. "H-hey, doesn't that–" I fit myself in the window frame as a hand pushed on my side. "Going somewhere." I froze.

Jane was eyeing me. I was terrified. "WAIT A MOMENT!" They realized.

"Where is he?!" Jane called over her shoulder with a smile. "I got him right here." I lunged through the window.

"Come on, easy there." She caught my foot. I couldn't just kick her off either. "You enjoying your party?"

She smiled.

"Yes, very much so." Sim and Burrs grabbed me and hauled me back in.

I was then subjected to the cruelest thing ever, questioning. "I'm innocent."

"Is this you?!" Mike asked. "It depends," I put my hands up in a placating gesture.

"Come on Tom. IS THIS YOU?" I was slightly scared.

"I thought Jane told you?" At least I wouldn't go down alone.

"What, she's gone." And like that my plan to escape being assaulted by questions had slipped away while I wasn't looking.

After several minutes of putting off the inevitable I finally answer their questions. "The cake was a lie. I swear the porcupine had nothing to do with it." Reese nods. "I see, so that's what happened when we were five."

"Hey we're off subject here. Is this you?" I groan.

"Yes, I'm the one kneeling in front of the boss at the beginning of the video." I saw Jane hanging around the kitchen, a slice of cake in her hands.

"And you knew this?" She nodded as she stuffed some cake into her mouth. "Its fun seeing him try to run." She said after swallowing.

I spent the rest of that night answering questions. I told them about my career as a clearer. About the meeting tomorrow, about Eld.

I was bored towards the end. "And let me tell you another thing. I was right in sticking the damn pig in the snout." Jack and Mike were watching intently, as if taking mental notes.

"That's how I got the ingredients to make bacon that day."

"It makes perfect sense." Jack said.

"The snout, huh. Who would have thought it." We chatted on a bit.

My evident disinterest made me drowsy. I briefly wondered what was happening in the outside world. I wondered how the bereaved are taking it. I wonder if my sister still threatens to hit me with a stick if I don't wake up. "Alright, wait! That means you know Red!" That set off a topic that was a land mine of itself.

"Err yes. I know her. We've linked several times for boss battles." The guys idolized me.

"Idiots."

"Stupid." Was the general response from the girls.

Except Jane, she watched me with cool eyes.

"Tom." I felt fear.

"Yes?"

"I'd like to listen very intently about what you have to say about Red later." I bowed my head.

I very meekly say. "Yes."

She then departed. The guys bowed their heads as well. "We'll make a small funeral pyre." Reese told me.

"Thank you." In a brief distracted moment I thought about my sister. I wonder how Kate is doing.

"Kate...Kate...KATE!"

"AH!" She sat up straight. She regarded her friend next to her.

"Oh, good night." She dozed off again.

"I swear. What do you do all night?" Kate snoozed on.

"I got this." A guy took out a bit of copper wire and battery.

"Survivalist junky."

"Yes, yes. Later." He quite calmly placed the hot wire on Kate, not enough to leave a burn though.

"Hey!" She shoved the guy back into his seat before rubbing her hand.

"Finally. We're almost there you know." Kate sighed.

Its almost been six months since the incident started. She watched her brother day and night, which explained why she was so tired. She hoped that if she constantly watched over him he wouldn't die. An old promise back from when _he_ was still alive and talking to her brother. Or rather back when he was rather ill. "Okay." She got out of the car when they got to the park.

It was a bright day. The sun shined, the children played. Though they were technically skipping school it wasn't like they lost much. Most of the class was gone, attending a seminar or something at a distant University. Her phone vibrated, she seemed to gain new life. She checked it. The live footage of her brother showed up. He was in a dungeon. A supposed strategy meeting.

She put away her phone. "Is it happening?"

"Yes Patrick." He smiled, the supposed survivalist junky reached into his bottomless backpack and took out one of several phones.

"I'll call ahead."

"I don't know how you convinced me to do this." Kate eyed her friend.

They were meeting up with several other people from school. Those who had lost someone to the game known as Dæmonica. "I don't know either." Her friend told her.

"Alice, Kate, its starting." They hurried.

There was a large pavilion at one end of the park. There was a large monitor set up, with around a dozen people watching. It was an official announcement on the situation. There had been a few since the big one at the very beginning. "...What we need is courage and Faith." The tired balding man said.

"So far, the loss has numbered in the triple digits. But there is hope. As many as a hundred players died in game but have yet been killed in real life." They were the mysterious ones.

They had been dead in game but weren't killed by the machine in real life. They were in a type of coma. Their screens showed only a mosaic of colors. Some lab coat had theorized that that was optical _data_ that was being shown. They were in a type of sensation stasis. Kept aware but in a state that they couldn't perceive time. Keeping them in a type of limbo where they were could feel that the time of their _death_ had only just happened or occurred months or years ago. While an outlandish theory it was heavily supported by the general public. Especially since no one wanted to think of the alternative, that that was what a broken mind saw. The person inside was dead and gone, leaving only the shell of a body and a ghost of the mind behind.

"But I will leave that to the more informed man on that subject. Right now all I see is this." A brief picture of a boss battle appeared.

"That's what these brave people are facing. They are fighting their way back to this world. We can do no less than to contribute every effort to making sure that they live long enough for that." The man straightened a bit.

It was said his grandson was among the captured. "I now turn you over to the man who is spearheading their rescue. Mr. G––" The monitor cackled with snow.

"Damn, the signal is fading." A man went up to a computer connected to the monitor and did somethings.

As the man worked Kate briefly wondered what her brother knew of the situation. About the man who was manipulating the death game. How much did he know. Especially since they had met once before. As if speaking of the devil the man himself appeared on the screen. The image was a bit blurry but it was unmistakable Gene Lockeless.

But what was he doing outside his wo–– "I have an announcement." What followed later shattered her notions about terrorists and hackers and his simple insanity.

It destroyed her hope of guilt and reason causing the manipulator to release the remaining players. His announcement rocked the world several times over.

Its been six months now. Half a year in this death Game. The clearing had come to a stand still at the twenty-second tier. The boss was difficult to locate and some thought there might be a prerequisite. I was going out with the guild. I had made myself a uniform just like them. The gray shirt with a white jacket finally replaced my Roc coat. The ring of light on my back sometimes left traces of light in my wake, as if I had wings of light. "Jane, its time to wake up." I shook her shoulder gently.

She was peaceful in her sleep. Her smile was a blessing every time I saw it. I tried again and instantly we were in reversed positions.

"Good morning." She whispered into my ear then she kissed my cheek.

"G-good morning." She enjoyed making me flustered.

Our position was better left unsaid, sorry to all of you who want to know. She put a finger on my lips. "Now what do you say?" She leaned in close to look into my eyes.

I was speechless as to what to say. I'm never good at these games of hers. A message ruined the moment. She got off me as I read it. When I looked again she was gone. I sigh. She was getting more and more mysterious with each passing day. I wondered what were the magic words that she always wanted me to say. I got off the guest bed and went to my living room. I had seen the door close seconds before I touched the handle. Jane liked to visit my house now. She said that the loneliness might get to me soon. I appreciated her company and made sure the guest room, or rather, her room was always ready for her. Before I left my house I touched my cheek where she had kissed.

_Yeah Thomas, I think I'm right...she likes you_. I look over at Cooper.

I smile. The best friend who I missed. He disappeared when others were around. I tentatively offered him my hand. He smiled at me. Then we shook hands. "I hope so Cooper. I hope so." With that he left me.

Back to wherever he is. Or wherever he's not.

I needed to remember to give Jane a key to my house. She'd need it if she ever wanted to go in when I'm gone. When I got to the meeting place Jane was in her leader role as Diana. "Alright the clearing group has been stuck finding that boss for to long. If it takes this long to find then its obviously something tough. So they will need better gear." She acknowledged me.

"Mr. Clearer, any ideas as to what might be in high demand?" I give her a slight smile.

"Well some strong armor for the tanks. They'll love that. Oh and we should probably find some high level swords. If we can find a few decent shields that might lead to a great deal with Bazaar." Diana smiled.

"Thank you sub-commander. Now as your leader, and in taking this into consideration," We all leaned in.

"I've decided." We laughed.

"Now for the serious bit. Sub-commander." I salute her, mostly as a joke, but also partially out of respect.

"Take Amethyst, Ike and Burrs with you to the dungeon on the twenty-second tier. I want you guys to scout ahead of us." We were all approaching clearing guild level rapidly.

So sending in a small scout team wasn't so risky. Especially if I was in it. "The rest of us will do some item harvesting. We're running low on supplies." Then she steps into the middle of us and sticks out her fist. I touch mine to hers.

Then the others placed their closed hands over ours. "To the Angels of the death game." She said in such a way that I felt something in me move. I had a fire burning in me.

"That's right. We will clear this game." We gave a brief cheer before separating.

The dungeon on the twenty-second floor was like a subterranean castle. It was the opposite of the pillar like dungeon that held the boss. Amethyst linked up with me as we headed in. "Alright slow and steady." I carefully arranged us as we stepped into the first corridor.

I could see enemies far deeper into the room. "We pick them off one by one." Amethyst and the others nodded before I approach the _Marionettes_ a wooden enemy.

They looked human, with clothes and painted faces. But their heads split up along a vertical seam like a venus flytrap. The row of metallic gears inside were lethal. I drew one away and we assaulted it from all sides. It took a mere moment to annihilate the creepy enemy. The four remaining ones we picked off over several minutes. At the door at the end of the hall we checked the loot. "Anything promising?"

They were a few items here or there that could be interesting when upgraded. I open the door and into the next room. The first three levels of the dungeon were already mapped so I decided to do a room sweep before going onto the lower levels. We wasted a good amount of time. I lead the way down the dark steps and into the second basement floor. I shivered slightly as _Poltergeists_ flew at the edges of the room. The blue-gray humanoids creeped the hell out of me. "Come on fearless leader." Ike urged.

I gave them a reassuring smile and remembered my own words. _If you live with fear on your shoulder all you'll have in the end is death._ I ready my blade as we charge through the enemies.

Ike accidentally stabbed the wall once and found a chamber. Since it didn't get mapped out it was one of the randomly generated ones. Inside I saw cave like walls and a single shining chest. I kneeled in front of it as I opened it. Lire spilled into my reserves. And a large spear was in my inventory. "Sorry about that." I tell Ike.

It should all be his. "Here though." I hand him the spear.

A Lire transaction being to difficult at the moment. "Its all right. You'll just take us out to eat." The others agree with him.

"I'm fine with that."

Back to the room sweeping we find a few more chests and fight off the ghost like enemies. I felt very odd halfway through the level. Maybe there was a high level monster around. Or maybe it was all the ghosts around. We rested for a bit after fighting off a surprise horde.

The sense of danger passed and a new one took its place. "Now that I think about it," Ike started off.

"I think that our little Romeo here should ask our fearless leader to a date." I had been eating a sandwich when the spear-user said this.

I was about to say something when the sandwich got stuck halfway. "ACK!" Burrs beat my back and the lump of bread and mysterious meat passed down to my digital stomach.

After coughing for a bit I immediately readdressed what Ike had said. "W-what was that?" I was slightly irritated that I could feel the heat in my face.

"You heard me lover-boy. The constant glances between the two of you is getting me sick to my stomach." He made a gagging gesture.

"I'm sure half the guild thinks _go get a room_, whenever you and her give each other the lovey-dovey stare." I felt my face turn beet red.

"T-that–"

Amethyst pitched in. "Oh and whenever you _discreetly _leave with her when we clear a dungeon. I could swear you two are attached at the hip with the amount of time you spend together."

"B-but, oh wait why are you all of a sudden bringing this up?" Ike and Amethyst laugh.

His hand over hers. Burrs nods. "What we're saying, oh wise sub-commander, is that you two should make it official."

I clenched and unclenched my hand. Nervous. "W-what do you mean?"

Burrs groans at this. "He just said it a minute ago. Take her out on a date. For God's sake if I have to walk behind you two while you have another _I'm so glad your here_,_ not as much as I am about having you_ moments I'm going to puke."

I twiddled my thumbs. Nothing else to do while the group lets it all out. "Geez. Go out together already. Get it out of your systems before we go into a dungeon or we all will cringe to no end." Burrs said this with such vehemence that I thought he was being hostile.

"S-sorry."

Amethyst giggles. "You see, Tom. What you have to do, for the good of the guild, is to go and take our leaders hand and walk off into the sunset together." I blinked.

"Or you could just be all––"

"No one likes that suggestion." I say to Ike, his goofy face irritated me as soon as he started making the joke comment.

We spend several moments dissecting my personal relationship with Jane. I felt worse than when I'm fighting against a boss. As I tried to explain the relationship of trust and affection I had with Jane and how I didn't want to rush it they just kept on nagging me. Finally I was about to try and just runaway from the issue when a message came from her. "Oh god, we've only been gone like an hour." I saw Burrs make a cringing face as I opened the message.

It was a voice recording. I would have made one by now but I didn't have any blank recording cubes to use up. "Hey." Her voice was like electricity.

"Now that I think about it..." She sounded so cute and innocent.

"I forgot to thank you for dinner last night." _OH SHIT!_

After I got over the initial shock I missed the damn stop button three times. Enough times for the recording to say, with her, "Thanks, I slept easy with your––"

It was around that time that I noticed the title. _PLAY WHEN ALONE._

I goofed, what can I say. "Err..." I saw a look of wonderment in Amethyst's eyes.

The two guys blinked, shocked and awed. They then wore the most peculiar expressions. I backpedaled a bit.

"I-Its not what you think." Was my best defense.

"Here we go!" I lunge into the mass of Poltergeists.

The ghosts reeled away as I scattered them from their tight knit group. Now that my small disaster was done with I learned a whole new thing about how mature they thought me.

When the initial question is asked, "How did you figure out how to do _that_ in here?" You realize they think your mature enough to be doing _that _wheneversomeone calls to thank you for dinner.

The rest of it was not my secret to give. Now then, back to the adventure. Burrs charged in and saved my ass from being slaughtered as two more hordes joined in. "There are other ways to vent your frustration." He told me afterwards.

"I wouldn't be doing this if there was." There were in fact several ways that I could have vented but killing monsters was the best.

We managed to break through the level and descend to the final mapped one. The third basement level. I shivered, my breath turned to fog in front of me. I had a bad feeling. "Stay close." I tell the others.

As we progress I feel constantly watched. And I don't like it. Later on I find a treasure chest. I let Ike take it. "Wow, this will do wonders to my stats." He showed off the new chest armor he had obtained.

I was briefly reminded of Hercules's chest, as if someone took the torso of the super strongman from a brass statue. Ike then went on to flex, as if he had the actual muscle the armor portrayed. We laughed at that. We cleared through the last mapped level and were standing in front of the stairs to go down. "Well the others can't be to far behind. Want to wait?" They were in agreement to continue on.

I assented and sent a message to Jane. She'd be mad if we went on ahead, but sending a message would keep her calm for a bit. At the bottom of the stairs I only saw ice, not stone floors. "Wow." It was like an arena.

"What do you think this place is?" Burrs asked.

I was cautious. "Keep an eye out. This might be a mini-boss area." They formed up with me and we walked slowly.

"I don't think so. Wouldn't it have already appeared?" I nod.

Its strange. Very strange. "Unless..." The feeling I had been having for a while now seemed to manifest as I said these words.

"Someone already beat it." I felt a tingle go up and down my spine.

It didn't help that I heard clapping right behind us. Turning, with dread, I faced him. The lone player, his skull helmet had been replaced by a more devilish one. The horns protruding from the triangular skull showed what lied inside that person. "Eld." He clapped and smiled straight at me. I took a step towards him and all I saw was light...

"Uh..." I sit up. I yawn as I stretch.

"About time Tom." I smile at Cooper.

"Yeah. Sorry about dozing off. I was just really tired." He nods and looks at the interface in his hands.

The neck brace like device that had a flexible part that ended in a cushion for the head and a visor of sorts gleamed since it was new. "I went in Tom." I smiled at him.

"How was it today?" He smiled like I've never seen before.

"I walked around a lot. It was free and expansive. That was just the beta for some of the higher tiers." His hands trembled a bit, maybe a few tears gathered in the corners of his eyes.

"Well I'm glad that you liked it." I sat up a bit more.

"Hey Tom." I looked at him, his tone was different. "Hey Tom...if, and only if..." I smile at him.

"Don't worry Cooper, you'll be fine." He always had that one moment of doubt.

"That's right." I turned at the man.

He dressed in a business suit. "Oh, I'm sorry Tom. His name is Gene." He came up to me and we shook hands.

"As your friend said I'm Gene, Lockeless. Nice to meet you." I nod to the man.

"Your friend here is actually wanting to join my personal testing group. He wants to help me make more worlds just like that one." I blink.

Cooper had never mentioned that. But just who was this man. "Oh sorry, I forgot." He took out a business card.

"I'm also head of development for the interfaces that everyone uses. And I'm the creator of Dæmonica." Oh, so that's who he was.

"Yeah your friend Cooper there is amazing. He gives everything a certain view that I never saw but I will try to incorporate further." I smile.

That was Cooper.

"Anyway, he tells me you don't have an interface." I glared at Cooper.

"Don't worry, I'm not saying anything about that. I just wanted to let you know that you'll be getting one soon, in a few days actually." I blink.

"Yeah. You'll also get to have Dæmonica as soon as it comes out." I feel myself smile.

"I like helping people like your friend here. And he wants to help you." Cooper just nods.

"Yeah. Cooper always liked to help." I yawn.

"I'm sorry, I think I might..." I somehow fell back asleep.

I opened my eyes again an hour later. I look over at Cooper. Asleep with a smile on his face, the interface he had been using in his arms. Today was the last day of the beta. But maybe not for him. Mr. Lockeless seemed like a nice man. "Hey Cooper." He didn't stir.

I called again. "Cooper." He just kept on sleeping peacefully.

"I'm sorry Cooper." I lower my head to him. _If there is a next time_. He had told me. I guess this is what he meant.

I blink rapidly. The blinding ailment that accompanied my being knocked down had ended. What I saw wasn't good. I saw a giant beast holding Amethyst up in the air. Her scream pierced the world, as in one swift moment she was pulled apart. My eyes wide, tears streaming down them, I watch as she breaks apart.

Dead.

"NOOOO!"

I look down at my hands. The interface was shiny and new. I looked it up and down. I had already done the initial sign-up with the Dæmonica site, a prerelease privilege from Lockeless.

"I can now walk in your world Cooper." No answer.

It was _that_ time. I go over the device in my hand. The metal frame that would bend to become comfy for the person wearing it. The indicators of a wireless connection and battery life. The visor that was a very important piece for the experience. It was all brand new and ready to be used. I had done a bit of interfacing but without the game the experience just wasn't the same. In my hands I held a connection to my friend Cooper. He and I would share it for a time to come.

"Just you wait. We'll clear the one-hundred tiers, no, you called them worlds. We'll climb up and see the demon-king with our own eyes and win with our own hands."

Again, no reply.

"Yup. Just...us...best...friends..."

Burrs charged the mini-boss. "YOU BASTARD!"

His arm flies off as the giant slashed him with its claws. He collapses to his knees. I somehow find myself standing. In another moment the giant attacks using a move similar to the unarmed special _Razor_. The blade-flat hand strikes my friend and beheads him. Just one more hit. I dash through the data shards of my friend and finish off the boss.

Kate was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. "Hey."

She had been twiddling her thumbs for a while now. Glancing over at Cooper when I "_wasn't"_ looking. He had been talking endlessly about the interface he had just gotten. I was happy for him. But I was relieved when he fell asleep. "What's wrong with you?"

She blushed. "N-nothing at all." I could tell it just by looking at her.

"You like him." She turned beet red and stood abruptly.

"N-no." I smile.

"Denial isn't just a river in Egypt." She restrains from smacking me.

"And what about you!" She said infuriated.

"What about me?"

"Don't you like Jane!" I was shocked. I wrung my wrists.

"You see, as your older brother I can easily tell when my younger sister likes someone. It doesn't work vice versa." She glared at me.

"Liar." Maybe so.

"Want to confess?" She looked terrified.

"Hey Co––" She stuffed my mouth with gelatin. I nearly gagged, partially from the jello, partially from my laughter with a full mouth.

Eld watched me again. He was clapping. Between him and me was a kneeling Ike. Tears came in rivulets from his eyes. "You know what my price is." I knew.

I stood over Ike. "Do it. For their safety." Ike looked up at me.

In his eyes wasn't dread, nor hatred, just sorrow. "Do it." He said to me.

I grabbed him by the front of his armor and lifted him up. I heard footsteps behind me. I closed my eyes.

"Good afternoon." I say as I walk down the halls.

She looks at me, confused. "I'm sorry, you must have gotten me confused with someone else."

I shrug. "I don't think so. Your the only one here right." I walk past her.

"Look I'm not sure you understand. You don't just talk to me." I shrug again.

"I don't really care Ms. QueenBee." She suddenly looks hard at me.

"What's wrong with you––" "I get it I get it. There are a lot of things wrong with me. But talking to you isn't. Geez I try to be nice and all I get is hassle from some cheerleader."

She takes a step towards me. "I'm not just some _anyone_!" She glared at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I say very flatly before continuing on.

"Just who do you think you are?"

"I think I'm Thomas. I've been in the same class as you since Kindergarten and ever since you joined the cheerleading squad you've become a real jerk Jane." She gawked at me.

"You...YOU!..." I don't bother to wait for her to blow a gasket.

"If you ever realize that the people you call _friends_ are going to use you lets talk again." I say as I round the corner.

"I'm not done talking to you!"

"But I am." I continue to walk away from her. Usually most people like her wouldn't even have acknowledged me.

But she was fun to torment. I reach into my jacket pocket. My hand shaky. "HEY!" She suddenly grabs my shoulder.

I'm startled and I drop the medicine bottle. Its contents are scattered across the floor. I turn on her. "And who do you think you are?" I was the same height as her, but I looked down at her all the same.

She was startled. "I...I'm––" I walk away from her.

"Your nobody. Thats what. Your nothing but another popular beauty-queen. There must be at least thirty of them just like you in our hallway. All of them Queen B's, you know." I saw her gawk again.

"How dare––" It looked like I was going to get slap.

Did she think I'd cringe. I took it. The angry red mark on my cheek stung. "You done yet? I have to go." I yawn and turn away.

I just left her there, staring at the space where I had nonchalantly stood after being slapped.

I watched Ike shatter, the Poltergeist I threw him to did rapid work. I turn to face the guild. Jane looks at me, much like she did that day.

"I–I don't understand..." She had said those words as well that day.

I cover my face with my hands and sob lightly. But when I take them away I'm smiling. I cover my mouth with one hand as I let a laugh escape me.

I approach the swings. Dirt covered the uniform she wore. "Geez your a mess." I say blatantly.

The sobbing Jane just looks at me with red eyes. "G–(hic)Go away!" She puts her face in her hands as she cries.

I drop my backpack. I reach into one of the pockets. "Here." I let her grab the unused handkerchief.

I was one of the few people who carry those in these days. "I–I don't understand..." She said as I walked away.

"You wouldn't. Did you finally realize how hollow those _friends_ are?" I grab my backpack. She was quiet.

"Oh well." I start to walk away. "W-wait!" I look back at her.

She's just like a little girl right now. Without the authority or popularity she had in school, or from cheerleading, she was just alone, scared, and needed comfort. I sit on a bench as she calms down.

"Y-you were right." She said after a while. I nod.

"What happened?" She then explained it to me.

"In the end, he dumped you for the head cheerleader, your best friend." I suppressed a chuckle.

"I–Is that funny to you?" I must have failed.

She managed to look angry and indignant even though she was still crying.

"Honestly? Not really. The thing that gets me is that you took it to heart. That your letting it tear you apart." She looks at me, in such a lost way.

"Those are not friends. They are people you know and hangout with because people expect you to. Face it, the only reason you were with that guy was because it was expected of you."

She blinked. "Those are not real friends. They are just people you use and that use you back. So I'm chuckling because you still feel hurt about it." I can see no one ever talked to her like this.

"If you ever want to see what a real friend is, come here tomorrow after school and you'll see what I mean." I stand then.

"I feel sorry, I really do. But my pity is the only thing I'd give to someone like you. Be a better person and then you'll see why." I left her there, maybe crying. Maybe just shocked.

I laugh so much. "Oh god! I never expected it to end up like this!" I straighten and look at Jane.

"Its exactly what it looks like. I killed them." I cover my mouth as another laugh threatens to erupt from me.

"HAHAHAHAHAH!" I can't help it.

I have to act the part. "No..." The lost look on her is so nostalgic.

"What did you expect. Losers like you are only worth one thing. As stepping stones. You should know, weren't you the same." With that its like a spell is broken.

"THOMAS!" She yells at me, trying to see if she can snap me out of whatever happened.

I want to call back to her. To tell her several things.

Instead. "DON'T USE THAT NAME!" She steps back.

Afraid. I compose myself. **"I am Sol. I am the Angel of death and massacre in this land of swords. As the sun sets I will deliver your souls onto the greatest paradise. Death."**

She arrived, unexpected. "Well I'm here."

She said, she didn't look at all like the crying girl from yesterday. "Walk with me." I head towards a distant pavilion.

She follows behind, slightly dragging her feet. When we get there all I see is a homeless man on a bench. "Mr.J." He stirs.

From deep beneath the coat I see a dirty old face. He smiles at me. "Oh, its you Tommy." I sit down next to him.

Not afraid or repulsed. "I'm sorry its been a while, I was just taking care of some personal problems." He nods. "Its all right. How are your parents." I smile.

"They are just as fine as ever. Want to see if you can come over for Thanksgiving?" He shakes his head.

"Oh I can't go and impose on you like that now." I spend nearly an hour talking to the man.

When I leave him to his slumber I see Jane, confused as ever. "That's a real friend right there." I tell her. A little angry at her.

"I don't get it."

"What a surprise." I say, a bit of spite in my voice.

"At least you recognize him right?" She shook her head.

"I don't know no drug addicts." I hold back the urge to slap her.

Whatever they drilled into her about the homeless was straight bullshit. "He's not a druggie. He was your neighbor until three years ago." I saw her make a perfect O with her mouth.

"Mr. Johannes. Remember him. He was the one who gave you the puppy that is your dog." I saw her shrink away from me.

"That man is the best kind of person. Never asked anything. Offers you what he has. That's why he's out here instead of the home he's been living in since he was nine." I walk back towards the swings.

"That man..." She started.

"He...He's that man?" I nod.

"Remember him now?" She nods.

"Now then here's a thing I have to tell. Do you think that if he went door to door, especially to your door, with a tin cup and begged, he would have enough money to live comfortable for a month?" She hesitated, as if sensing that this was a trick question.

"Yes." She finally said.

"But he doesn't. Do you know why?" She sat down on the swing next to mine.

"No."

"He said that if he were to borrow from all his neighbors, and all his friends, he'd be a sad man. He told me that if he got enough to buy back his old home all he would do is give it to charities. To the other homeless. He doesn't want to save himself unless he can save everyone he sees." I saw that she just stared hard at the ground.

"Here's another thing." I stand, my anger at the girl upset over a middle schooler issues when a man is starving less than a block away.

"He's very sick. Its unlikely he'll see Thanksgiving, let alone a Christmas. And here you are, all sad because the stereotypical jock dumped you for someone more popular." I head home.

I had a lot left to show her but her forgetting that man got me so riled up that I couldn't help it. I probably made her feel worse. I made the whole situation worse.

She was stunned. "No...No..."

"Believe it. I killed our friends. But I have to say my skills probably got pretty close to leveling up. They were of good use." I nod.

"Yes, they were very useful. As they should be. Stepping stones for the people that really matter. For me." Tears trickle down her eyes.

She might, after some time, realize the hidden meaning in my words. It hurts me. But so what. Its just me who has to bear all the sorrow. They'll have fractions while I carry the whole thing.

Eld claps. "Marvelous. Marvelous! That was a great induction." He throws me a flag.

I grab and unfold it. The emblem is a red mouth, the teeth sharp fangs. An eye at the center of it, all on a black flag. "I'd like you to see, the greatest work from the Scarlet Abyss." Eld says as he hands me a teleport crystal.

He leaves, taking his flags with him. "Take care. Maybe we can have a reenactment later. What do you say, _Alliance of White Wings_. Can I clip your angel wings?" With that I leave.

I realized that it wasn't over when my sister told me that there was someone here to see me. She knew all my friends so for someone to unnamed. It had to be her. I shake my head as I receive my guest.

"Your all wet now." She had walked through the rain to come here.

She was quiet, deathly quiet. She offered me my handkerchief back. "Thank you."

There was a brief pause where neither of us knew what to do. "I'll walk you home." She nods.

Barely acknowledging me. I grab an umbrella and we leave. The rain is pounding outside. "I thought about what you said to me." We stop.

"I remember the day Mr. J came over with my dog." She kept her head low as she talked.

"I thought about it, and thought about it. I really did. And, I realized just how self-absorbed I've been." We start walking again.

"Can you...can you possible show me how to be a better person?" I was dumbstruck.

I was just going to show her the difference between real friends and her _friends_. But this was a curve ball. "I'm probably not much better than you are. But I'll try."

After a brief pause. "I'm sorry for slapping you, and treating you like you weren't worth considering." She tells me.

"Don't worry about it. I did a few wrong things to you as well, but that's life." Her mother answers the door. She recognizes me right away.

_To Jane from that raining day I was honest. I did my best and as soon as Christmas break came she was a completely different person, and better for it. The Jane I knew in the game took shape over the summer of that seventh grade year. I had no idea the profound effect I had on her. But to the Jane from just a few moments ago I left hidden messages and lost friends. May we never meet again. But that's when I think, __**it'd be to easy that way.**_


	6. Phase 05

**A/N––Yes I am not dead. I was disconnected from the internet for a while but I hope that this chapter was worth the wait. I already have the next one in the works, might be done by the time this gets posted. I'm glad to say that with midterms done (Thank god) and my grades at a mediocre level I am free. But again no internet half the time. Well Eld has done it. He broke my MC. Oh well. Time to see what magic I pull out of the hat now.**

Phase 05 Fallen

The first thing I did upon stumbling into my house was kneel in front of the door.

"..."

My tears dripped from my face and disappeared into light. My shoulders hitched. Three of them. I had failed to save three of them. Right there within arms reach. If I had just put myself in more risk I might have saved them all. I might have. I should have. I clenched my eyes shut. Sobs wrack my body.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I yell out.

It hurt. My chest felt so tight. My heart beat erratically.

"WHYYYYYYYYY!?" My fists slammed into my door.

"WHHYYY GOD DAMN IT!?" I must have spent several hours like that.

Then I got the first message. I was being taken off their friends list. I stared at the sobering sight as eight messages appeared. As eight friends turned their backs on me. I clenched my hand. The only person who didn't do that was Jane, hers would hurt the most. I watched and waited. My eyes red. _Do it. Just get it over with._ I watch. She doesn't take me off her friends list. She's the only person who I can check with now. But why would she leave me in her friend's list? I had just murdered right in front of her eyes. After a while I exited out of the menu. I felt something coiling around my stomach. I bit back bile.

"Eld..." I whispered his name.

I needed to find him, to kill him.

_You know what my price is. _He had told me.

I knew. If he had only just taken me. If he had only gone after me. I brought this all on myself. I grimace.

"Damn it! Damn it!" I repeat it, over and over, in sync with my fist as I punch the floorboards.

Then, as the blazing anger inside me dies down I'm left with just plain fear and sorrow. I curl up into a ball. I don't sleep. God no. I would just keep seeing shattering and hear screaming. I closed my eyes and tried to keep one thought in mind.

_Killing Eld will be so sweet now_. I start. I gag.

I can't believe I thought that. No matter what, I don't think I can ever bring myself to kill. Not anymore. Before yes, I would have slaughtered Eld for being what he was. Now, I'd let him kill me. And me alone.

_But imagine it. Choking him, watching his meter run red. Tearing off his head_. I licked my lips.

Yes, that sounded fine. I looked forward to it. .Eld. Just you wait.

"NO!" I slam my forehead into the floor.

I see stars but I stay like that. I won't give in.

_Why?_ I won't.

_Just slaughter him_. "NO!" I writhed on the floor.

Slamming my head over and over. "NO!" Finally a dark light filled my vision. A comforting dark.

I gasp. "You should just kill him!" The thing howled into my face.

Blood leaking from its mouth. Fear rises in my throat. I backpedal. The thing drags me back under it. "KILL! Kill everything that stands in your way!" I shrink back.

The thing begins to choke me. "Don't whimper and sob weakling! Stand and FIGHT!" It slammed my head back several times. I wince.

"Its kill or be killed! And you are not one of the killed!" I saw a black iron chain.

It wrapped it around my neck. Tightening it. Threatening to cut off my air entirely. "A–" It punches me hard.

Cracks fill my vision. The dark mass, the shadow grins at me. "Kill. Or be killed..." Its like a mirror. A black mirror.

My hand is dragging back the chain. Hauling me up into the air. I kick and struggle. The cracks spreading. "KILL! AHAHAHAHHAHAHA!" I see the other me laugh with a sickening joy of killing. "Kill––" I see nothing but shattered bits.

I start. The spot that I had been staring at for the longest time was still the same as ever. I don't know how long I had been lying on the floor. My stomach hurt and my eyes felt a bit heavy. But I knew one thing. I wasn't done. I noticed I had a message. I opened it up. The boss had been found. I close my eyes, and oddly enough I smile. An echo resounded in me from somewhere far away.

_Stand and FIGHT!_ I stand.

I close the menu. After a moment of stretching I head to the meeting. I must have been out of it for a while. They had already sent scouts and everything. I stood before the door. It was cleverly hidden behind a wall of ice that could only be shattered by the mini-boss guarding it. They discovered it around the same time I was suffering. The mini-boss had yet to spawn and will most likely never spawn again. Its done its duty and was either filed away or destroyed in the system.

"Well nice to see you Sol." E-stone called to me.

I nod to him. "Sorry, I've been quite occupied these past couple of days."

They start the meeting. I listen very intently. The boss was a minotaur like enemy. Its axe was very strong and required at least four tanks for its various combos. It also had a debuff ability. It stomped its hoof twice to signal it. The roar would force you to brace yourself, and then apply a defense down debuff. But its stature wasn't anything special. Compared to the _Mummified_ _Banneret_ which was huge, being tall enough that most attacks couldn't reach above its knees, this boss was eight feet tall.

"One last thing. If it lowers its head at you, run. That's its unique charging attack. Spears you on its horns, two tanks nearly died that way." He then begins assigning teams with the other guild masters.

"Sol do you––" I walked past them and up to the boss door.

I used _Shatter_ to open the door. I didn't think something that big could swing open so fast. "What are––" I dash into the room.

The boss is in the center of the chamber. _The Maze Keeper_. I grimace as the boss raises its axe. I roll by it and slash away at its exposed side.

_I will never forgive you!_ My heart beats painfully.

_For taking them away!_ I stab into the back of the boss as it swings its axe again.

I'm sent rolling.

_STAND!_

I stab my sword into the ground and stop myself five feet away. I glare at the boss, before dashing headlong at it again. "AHHHH!" I slide under its initial swing and jump to my feet.

I can see it aiming at me. Already the weapon is speeding towards my unarmed side. I close my eyes.

_FIGHT!_

I put my sword between the axe and me. Bracing my free arm against the flat of my blade as the axe connects. I skid back three feet. Teetering for a second. But I retain my footing and lunge forward. _Impale_ stabs the boss under its heart. The boss seems to fume. I see its fist come at me. I don't let it connect. I used the single hit unarmed special _Sky Needle_. The fierce uppercut negates the attack meant for me. After a five second action pause I leapt away. The boss following me. I hate to say it but those three health bars are going to last longer than I am. After all that barely a tenth of the first health bar is chipped away. And thats if you look at the damage I dealt optimistically. I was in the yellow, a full third of my health depleted. But I won't give up.

_FIGHT!_

I steady my sword. The axe passes through the air centimeters in front of my nose. With that I assume my stance. I use _Crescent_. I step with the attack, putting more force behind it and increasing the damage. The red damage light that appeared on its gut didn't faze it. I saw it ready its axe overhead. But who said I was finished. Directly after the special I launched another one, with my free arm. _Shatter_. I had pulled my fist back as I leaned with my right foot close to the boss. My left fist swung and connected hard with the middle of the boss. I smile. It was working. My blade is ready because of the change in position thanks to _Shatter_. I use another _Crescent_ and knock the boss back a foot.

_Perfect!_ Instead of _Shatter_ I use _Phalanx_. Connecting specials isn't a unique ability but its a demanding one. With the continuos practice from the last six months I'm confident many people incorporate special linking into their attacks. But connecting specials from two different styles, unarmed and swordsman, that was really rare. To link two specials one had to know ahead of time what attacks to use and when to start the next one. Using _Crescent _once could be used to assume the position for _Flare_, a three hit special that ended with a thrust. And then from there you would either have to suffer an extended action pause or continue linking. With the multitude of specials available some had learned how to chain together three, four, sometimes up to five specials. But concentrating on one after the other was demanding, and if something unexpected appeared you'd have to adapt or become a sitting duck. What I was doing was all that times four. I had to alter the movements for the specials, such as leg and unused arm position, to set up the next one. And I had to be aware of the position of the boss. Keeping it in an effective range. Keeping it in medium swords range and then switching to close unarmed range. Plus I had to be aware of its debuff or combos. As the last of the nine hits connects I have my sword pointing behind me. Utilizing the two consecutive hit special _Shear_ I continue attacking. The slash left a semicircle light effect in its wake, which was shattered as the blade jumped back for a second slash a bit higher. This also spun me straight around. My back to the enemy. I saw its hoof stomp once as my legs glowed.

_Starting to cut it close_. I spun on one leg while the other connects with the boss's side, canceling its debuff and making it stumble a foot to my left. With my right foot back on the ground I bring my left knee in to connect, completing the two hits for _Ram_. The boss slides back three feet. Steam coming from its nostrils. I still had one last trick to play. As my left leg touches the floor, my left shoulder was towards the boss while my right one was towards the clearers. My sword was level, ready. I could use _Impale_ but what I was going to do now was even better. The opening thrust of _Lunula_ closes the gap and bites into the stomach of the boss. As the four hits unfold I chance a glance at its health. I had singlehandedly taken it down a little more than a third of a health bar. It took twenty consecutive hits from seven specials and only did that much. My blade was about to lose its glow and leave me defenseless. I closed my eyes and remembered what I can do to continue linking. I didn't have my entire back to the boss. And it took a step towards me, its head bent down with its horns aimed at me. I almost had my shoulder lined up just right. I shifted my feet a few centimeters before using _Palm Strike_ under my sword arm. It didn't connect smack dab in the middle of the boss like I wanted. But the single blow did catch it around the ribs as the boss took a step towards me. Its two-feet long horns were on either side of my head when the blow connected. I shifted my feet again and readied my blade. _Reverse Helm Crush_. With only my sword and sword-arm away from the boss the special glowed. This was going to be pushing it. As _Palm Strike_ ended my sword went over my head as if I was preparing an overhead swing, a very odd and uncomfortable overhead swing. I felt a little resistance in my arm as the blade pierced the boss. I adjusted my body and made myself comfortable as I roared and pulled my blade out of the boss. I heard it take several uneven steps back. Then I couldn't link anymore moves and I froze with my back to the enemy. The clearers had formed a semicircle around me. They now rushed in as I stood frozen. For all that linking I got a two minute action pause. Two whole minutes. I smile. Perfect. Just absolutely perfect. I start to laugh, possibly unnerving some nearby clearers. When the action pause is done I see a wall of tanks in front of the boss. The combos from that thing sure were taking a toll on their health. I couldn't help but sneer. I chugged several health draughts to bring myself up from the red and charged in. I run in between the tanks. My health hadn't stopped rising from the potions I drunk before I was wailing away at the boss. It stomped its hooves down twice. I wouldn't be able to stop it in time. I wracked my brain for what to do, a debuff would seriously debilitate me. I grimace, the minotaur opened its mouth and a haze of red came from its mouth. The roar blasted me, pushing me back slightly. The instinctual reaction was to brace myself against the wind but that would be useless. I grimace, instead of steadying myself I charge in. I glared at the boss's black eyes as the pressure against me lessened. I slashed its horns. Knocking it a bit of balance. It steadied itself as I continued to batter it. No, what I was doing was not the clean-cut fighting the clearers were known for. What I was doing was the messy, savage, almost animal-like fighting of the damned.

"AHHHHHH!" I stab my sword into its sternum, and I left it there.

The boss bent its head so that the horns were aimed at me. The charging attack. I grabbed onto the horns and lift myself up. With my foot on the pommel of my blade I force it further in. The beast let loose one of the most terrifying roars I have heard. Black spittle flew from its mouth.

"SHUT UP!" I gave the pommel of my sword one final kick before we slammed into a wall.

Pulverized stone became a shroud of dust that rose over us. I saw my health bar pulsate. I had maybe an eighth of my health left. The bullheaded monster that was pinning me to the wall still had two health bars. The first had been destroyed. I smile, peacefully. I had been able to contribute something, this was probably my last boss run. Because this was my suicide boss fight. As the eight foot tall monster stepped away I felt like a ragdoll. My bones nonexistent. I was held two feet in the air by the boss's bulking body pinning me. Now with that gone I landed on my feet and fell forward.

_This was a good death, _I think as I close my eyes.

Chains grinding. A slight tap of a foot. These sounds greeted me as I opened my eyes. Sitting on his black throne, his crown slightly askew, with a very bored expression, was myself.

"You are a worthy idiot." I glare at him.

"Go to hell." He gives me a tight smile.

"Sorry, already there." I felt the black chains around my throat ease a bit.

We stayed like this, one staring at the other, for what felt like hours. Finally I asked him that question that has been pressing at my throat. "Who are you?" I saw nothing, just a black void as those words came from my lips.

The only thing that remained from the me on the throne were red eyes and a perfectly white smile. He reminded me of the cheshire cat, his smile became inhumanly wide. His eyes were red rubies of blood.

"Why I am Sol. The Angel of Death and Massacre. The blazing sun that holds the truth." I felt a coldness spread from my fingers and toes.

"I will search and destroy whatever obstructs my path. I am the one who has ultimate judgement over your soul." I trembled.

"Now," The eyes burned a bit.

"Will you lie down and die!?" I saw the teeth drip red.

The maw opened revealing a blood soaked abyss. A _Scarlet Abyss_. My heart stopped. I wanted to double over in pain. "I have made my introductions, what of yours?" I was silent.

Who was I. What was I. I searched deep inside me. Searching for the answer. The maw was fully around me. Swallowing me whole. Then I remember it, I was nothing but a sword. My edge sharp enough to destroy the dark. As if in response to this the darkness began to have long slits of light. They burned and ate away at the black and red. I saw him lean forward in his throne. "Or will you let me use you?" He reached out for my hilt as the chains slackened.

I caught myself before I could fall. The boss was standing right next to me. His weapon ready to deliver the killing blow. I smile. I slam into it, the axe came down harmlessly behind me. With one hand over its heart and the other on my sword I pushed these two separate entities apart. My sword slid out of the boss as easily as it did from the sheath. I leapt back as a great arm swung out to crush me. I was overjoyed to see it struggle to kill me. I, the Angel of Death. I stepped into range and began to hack away at it. My fighting as a clearer and a killer blended and solidified. I was one piece, one sword. For the next twenty seconds damage light splashed over me. I was moving so fast. So astoundingly fast. I felt my heart beat faster, my eyes saw more, my sword cleaved me a path.

"AHHHHHH!" I stabbed into the boss's heart for a critical hit.

Then I sidestepped the monstrous axe. The boss's fist came at me, all it hit was the edge of my blade. I could hear distant laughter. Mine or his, I don't know. My body was a hurricane, a fevered frenzy of attacks that always hit. That always brought the boss down a few points at a time. Blood roared in my ears. I leapt back as the boss used a two hit combo. The axe flew uselessly through the air in front of me. The clearers rushed over. I smile. Make use of what you have. I used _Impale_ and stabbed deeply into the gut of the boss. Then I connected _Phalanx_ to knock the boss back and off my blade. It seemed to growl at me as it took an unsteady step towards me. That's when the third and final connected move activated._ Ram_ knocked the boss back into the throng of fighters, the blow slightly stunned it. After the twenty second pause I walked towards the mad storm of bodies. My health turned yellow. I watched several damage dealers get knocked back as the boss made a full 360 spin with its axe. As the glow dimmed I charged in. With only half of its second health bar left I surged into the bloodlust. The system wanting to delete us all. I rushed it. I continued to attack even as I saw the axe glow. I used _Shear_ to match and counter the attack. I was confident. I was winning. I was killing. "Look out!" Someone grabbed onto my left shoulder. The axe coming back. I saw this one coming. With my action pause I wouldn't be able to stop the blow. The red hood of the person grabbing me seemed to tremble. I saw a light yellow glow come from her saber. The fencing special negated the axe swing. I braced her as she pushed against the blade. "Thank you." I tell her. My voice soft and untroubled. Completely different from what I was on the inside. With that I join the clearers in destroying the boss. With less than half of its health of the final bar intact I go in for my right, my pleasure. I launch _Impale_ to get me into effective range. My blade hit a bit higher this time. The sternum of the boss seemed to attract my blade now. With _Razor_ I forced the enemy back a step. My soul burned. My flat hand stabbed the boss in its gut and I pulled my sword free. With the left side of my body towards the boss I used _Ram_. My right leg flew through the air and struck the muscled arm of the boss. Then my knee added to the damage light from _Razor_. My blade was at the ready. Connecting_ Lunula_ I had my back to the boss once again. Except that in my free hand I held my knife. The knife glowed. _Reversal._ I spun to my right and left a large crescent in the air as I slashed the boss. My sword pointing up. The green blade turned sky blue. This was the hardest special I knew for swords. _Sky dance_. The sword came down hard in a diagonal slash. From top right shoulder to the lower left hand corner from my point of view. But I continued from there. Spinning to the left on the tip of one foot, the tip of the blue blade scraped along the ground before the momentum carried it up again. I looked back at the clearers as I continued my full spin. As I faced the boss I delivered another diagonal slash and my blade once again in the lower left hand corner with me crouching. The boss howled as it raised its axe overhead. The red glow cast cruel shadows over us. But _Sky Dance _is a long combo. The blue blade pulsated before I spun to my right. I corkscrewed and rose, delivering four horizontal slashes. The boss reminded me of a tiger with the red stripes over its body. The axe continued to glow and then its seemed to burn with real flames. My spiral motion was coming to an end. As I completed the final slash I leapt into the air. The momentum of the spin continued in mid air. I rose three feet off the ground before I delivered a strong downward strike coupled with the force of gravity. This matched the axe special from the boss. My left arm was sliced cleanly off at the shoulder. The boss had a a long red line down its middle. I crouched in front of the boss again. His axe to my left, my sword directly between its hooves. I then stand and slash upwards, with my sword stuck in the middle of its chest I pulled back, the sword level with my shoulders. The final blow of _Sky_ _Dance_. My body seemed to be swathed in blue light as I thrusted forwards. The ninth and final hit of _Sky Dance_. The blue light flew from me to my blade as it penetrated the boss's chest once more.

"HAAAAAAAAAA!" The blue light exploded outwards as the boss stayed still. Then the boss lurches back and shatters into data fragments. I listen. There was no cheers from the clearers. Just panting and coughing. I smile. The fatigue from the battle catching up to me.

I leaned forward a bit, ready to collapse. _I survived_, I thought. _Why? Why me and not them?_ I closed my eyes.

His hand reached for me. The Angel of Death and Massacre got off his throne to grab my hilt. "Yes...Let me use you..." The chains fell away from me as I slowly floated down.

"Just let me use you. Like the useless person you are." But suddenly words poured into my mind. His words to me. _STAND AND FIGHT!_

I clenched my hands as I saw his fingers curl around my hilt, no my neck. My fist connected with his jaw. He stumbled back and collapsed on his throne. "I am no one's stepping stone." I say as my hand grabs my sword.

"I am not a killer." The thing that looked like me smiled.

He rubbed his jaw. "Oh but you are...Yes, you are."

I took two lurching steps before I stood straight. My strength was depleted but my anger hadn't. I sheathed my sword and went to retrieve my knife. After putting that away I walked to the crystal pad. "HEY!" Someone called to me, furiously.

I calmly turned. "What do you want?" I don't exactly glared at E-stone and Red as they approach. But I'm not smiling at them either.

"What the fuck was that?!" E-stone jabbed his finger at me.

"I call that clearing." I turn away.

Red grabs my arm. "What the hell happened? You could have killed yourself back there." I shrug.

"What of it?" I saw her eyes grow wide.

In an instant my cheek had an angry red mark on it. "You done yet? I have to go." I had said those exact words to Jane. Now I told them to this girl who I knew only by the name Red.

With that I step onto the pad and arrive onto the next tier. I faced the broken dais. I turned away. Red and E-stone showed up right behind me. There was a few seconds of quiet. "Aren't you going to at least fix the gate?" I could hear the anger in his voice.

"I have some clearing to do. Find someone else to do it." I marched from there.

A few seconds later a city formed around me. I leave the city and head immediately out into the field. This tier looked a lot like a desert. Sand dunes and distant enemies are everywhere. I swallow hard. The air here was dry and hot. My arm still hadn't recovered.

"Hey!" A voice behind me. I just kept walking.

I drew my sword. In one swift turn I had it resting at her throat. For a moment my eyes saw Jane. Her smile the last blessing before damnation. But I blinked and all that stood before me was Red. Her mouth a tight line, her eyes scared. "Do me a big favor Red." I leaned in close.

I whispered my request into her ear. "Go find yourself a guild and leave me be."

I pull away and go straight for the largest horde I can find. With just one arm I face the five scorpion monsters. "COME ON!" I echo Deg's demented chant as my blade flies through the air.

The scorpion's have an ungodly amount of chitin that acts like armor. It takes a long time before I am able to destroy them all. I'm left standing on the dune. Screaming at the top of my lungs, "COME ON!"

I quietly slip into the café. I had replaced my guild's uniform...my ex-guild's uniform for a white cloak with gold threads making elegant figures. The cowl cast deep and dark shadows over my face.

"Gaia."

"Sol." I sat across from her.

She looked mildly at ease with herself. Unlike me. It had been two days since I fought the twenty-second boss. I had neither slept nor ate since. She took her cup from nearby and sipped at it. I ignored the pain in my gut. "Well I have some of that interesting information you've asked for." I shift a bit in my seat.

"You wanted to know where Eld and his group are. Well I have a small list of tiers where they have been spotted most often."

"Good. I'd like to ask you to continue gathering information."

"And keep it from the others." I nod.

She sighed. "It will cost you." I open a trade window and rapidly select several items that were of great worth.

She scanned over the list before nodding. Her finger paused over the accept button. "Sol...What's wrong with you?"

I felt a small chunk of remorse in me. Something that thirsted for human compassion and understanding. This person could give it to me. She could understand my pain and sin. "Rumor is that there is a new monster outside in the fields. Its player like. It has red eyes and is called the white shadow." I guess I have earned a new name.

"Do you want the payment or not?" She hesitated a second longer before accepting it.

I left first. I had things to do. I immediately went out into the field. The desert area was large and had dungeons hidden all over. I took the shortest path and went to one now. I found the large sinkhole close to the center of this desert and looked around. Some lizard monsters were around. No players, or rather, no raid groups. I took the last step and fell down into the hole. I felt the air tear at me, trying to send me back up. The giant mound of sand at the bottom cushioned my fall. I stood and walked out of it. The dungeon was full of scorpions and undead monsters. It had ten floors that were unforgiving and increasingly hard. The clearers went in as guilds to clear it once. It was because of their skills and experience that many of them walked out alive. Since then, several small raid groups have come to challenge it. To try and beat the difficult boss at the end. I was just a solo clearer. It would take me a day. I was fighting off two hordes at once when the message appeared. I closed out of it to continue the violence.

"HAAAAA!" I knock asides a scorpion's stinger and thrust forward.

My blade pierces its mouth and with great effort I pull my blade up and out of it. The crashing effect doesn't hide the seven others surrounding me. "This is more like it!" It was a full hour before I had cleared out enough hordes to take the message.

It was from the clearers. They notified me that the boss room was found and the clearing would begin in a day or so. I closed out of the menu. I felt strangely hollow. Alone and cold. The underground was cool but it had enough warmth to make one comfortable. I found myself a corner and curled up in it. Images flashed before my eyes. They were of the people I left behind. My guild. I took out an image of us when we were whole. It was the night of Jane's birthday. We stood in front of our guild house in the picture. Tears came to my eyes. I spent four minutes to rest. With the bitterness of what had happened new again I attacked with much more ferocity. It was late at night when I stumbled across the boss. It came out of the floor, a large serpent. The hordes it called up were of the undead category. I kept a tight grip on my sword as I charged in. I have no idea how but I survived. I had linked specials like crazy. Alternating my targets from the boss to the hordes and back. Once I was being swarmed after suffering a two minute action pause. I leapt out of danger with my health in the red and continued to attack. Sometime in the morning I crawled out of the dungeon. Yes, I crawled. My health in the red, I made it to town first. I healed up and then went to the boss's dungeon. The clearing group had regrettable missed its goal of clearing a quarter of the game by the sixth month. Now they were redeeming themselves. They were going to make the scoutings and clearing much faster. That meant they would only take a day or two at the most trying to figure out the boss. I charged through the dungeon. I had to make it in time. When I saw the distant clearing group I slowed down and stopped entirely. I crawled to the meeting.

"S-Sol?!" There was the sound of people coming to me.

I was lifted up. "What in hell happened to you?" A clearer asked.

I took in several shaky breaths. "Give him some room." E-stone came over.

I was propped against a wall. "Sol...Hey, Sol. Look at me." I did, my vision kind of dim.

"What happened?" I took in a deep breath before speaking.

"Its nothing. They're exaggerating."

"Bullshit." He says as he looks at me.

My hand goes to my stomach. The pain had increased day by day, it took the edge off my sorrow. "Sol." E-stone put a hand on my shoulder.

"When was the last time you rested?" I couldn't tell anymore. Maybe six days. They all sort of started to blend together after the boss fight.

I opened my window to the status. After scrolling down some it was there. "SEVEN FREAKING DAYS!" For both.

He got two clearers to support me. "Get him to town."

"I'm fine." He straightened.

"What was that?" I take a deep breath.

"I said I'm fi––"

"But you're not fine! You can barely keep your eyes on me."

"Small things. I'm going to go clear this game." I pushed away the two clearers.

I stumbled but stood resolute before E-stone. "Damn it. We don't need stupid _kids_ here!" He actually called me a kid.

"I don't care, you shouldn't either. Let me through." He shoved me back and I nearly fell.

"Idiot! We don't need you to die needlessly." Needlessly.

I felt myself laugh despite myself. "E-stone." I stood straight.

"I don't think you understand." I felt feverish strength pour into me.

"_I am going into the room! I will not stop until I'm dead_!" My exclamation echoed throughout the chamber.

My strength was at its peak. "Fine." He opened his menu and a second later something appeared before me.

_Duel?_ "What are you thinking?" His face was grave.

"If you win you get to go and kill yourself. If I win you go and clear your fucking head!" I felt a smile tug at the corners of my lips. I accepted.

"But E-sto––" "Clear out. Give us some room!" In a second the clearers make a ring around us.

I draw my sword, E-stone has his already out. A timer appears between us. _3...2..._ I feel my sudden strength start to ebb. 1! E-stone charges at me.

Its obvious that the various debilitating effects from lack of sleep and food are taking its toll on me. Every move I make feels like I'm moving through molasses. I'm faster than E-stone. But under these conditions I'm barely able to block his attacks. Its obvious who will win. Especially when he knocks me off balance and comes behind me. He has me in a hold. "Submit!" An option appears before me. I'm beaten.

"Hahahaha!" The Angel on his throne laughs.

"What's so funny?" "EVERYTHING!" He lets loose another maniacal laugh.

"I just like that fact that you think you can't do anything against players." I grimace.

"I told you I am not a killer." He jumps from his throne and punches me hard. I spit out blood.

"You are! When you failed to protect Laura you had your first kill." He continued to wail away at me.

"And face it! You loved it!" I froze.

"The sensation of relief. The fact that you have that much less a responsibility!" I trembled.

"You wanted it!" He knocked me down.

"Remember this. You are nothing but a killer." My world shatters with those whispered words.

My sword was still in hand. I could fight. I stabbed myself in the heart. The blade penetrated me and into E-stone. There was a second of disbelief as E-stone released me. I pull my sword free and I turn to face him. He hurriedly readies his sword as my attacks come at him. I only see him. Not his sword nor his actions. This is all a killer sees, his prey. He seems almost fearful as I continued to push him back. He leaps back and raises his sword. In that instant I close in for the kill. I used _Flare_. From the lower left hand corner to his right shoulder I open a line of red light. Then that slash is mirrored from lower right to his left shoulder. I pull back and thrust at him. My sword penetrates him. I see green light from behind him. His sword comes down, my arm separates from my shoulder. I leap away from him as he drops to his knees. He pulls out my sword and lets it fall.

"...Sol?" He looks at me as I charge.

He slashes at me. I grab his blade with my remaining hand and headbutt him hard. He winces, then I knee him hard. I separate from him as his blade is wrenched free from my hand. "I told you. I won't stop until I'm dead!" He stands.

Fear in his eyes. With _Sky Needle_ I knock his blade out of the way, then I connect _Razor_ and plow through the ring of clearers. E-stone coughs as he slams into a pillar. My hand comes out of him and grabs his throat. "Submit!" I tighten my grip. He strains. "SUBMIT!" I slam his head back into the column once.

In a second his hands are trying to peel mine away. "Submit." I say this in a whisper.

One of his hands operates a window. I see that I'm winner. I let him drop to the floor. Spluttering and coughing. I walk through the gap I made and pick up my sword. I still have three minutes left of the dismembered ailment. I face the door, and the three tanks guarding it. "Move. Now." The menace in my voice makes them more than happy to oblige. People seemed tense as I stepped through the door. The boss lasted two hours. I never left the red zone for the entirety of the fight.

"What do you want?" I want to tear the Angel apart.

"A lot of things. But you won't let me have them." The cracks appear at the edge of my vision.

He stands from his throne. _"ALL I WANT IS TO KILL!" _He's deranged.

How to stop him. My body is chained. I can't fight him. "Now then." He stands.

With each of his steps the cracks in my vision spread and grow. "Will you let me?" He said this so calm and casual I felt the atmosphere change.

"Will you kill with me, Thomas?" He extended his hand.

He wants to shake on this agreement. I want to do it. It seemed like the right choice. It was the only choice. As I reached out the cracks that filled every space lessened or disappeared entirely. I was going to make a deal with a killer. I cast a glance over his shoulder, was that Cooper? My world shatters once again.

I'm kneeling next to the crystal pad. My body aches and wants to give out. _NEVER!_ At this point trying to separate that _things_ voice from my own has become impossible.

I grimace before standing. I take one last shuffling step and teleport. I collapse in front of the dais. A hand to my gut. The pain there is unbelievable. But its nothing compared to what I went through. I ball up my fist and punch the ground hard. _Get up! You have no right to feel tired or hungry!_ Who ever was speaking, me or him, had it right. I stand up and march right past the dais. A few minutes later the city formed around me.

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"Keep at it!" I yell over my shoulder.

I had stumbled upon a group of players that were trying to clear the same dungeon as me. They were overwhelmed when three hordes spawned in succession. I jumped in to save them. There was only two exits we could take. Clearing or the halfway point "This is it!" I yell as I charge the undead hordes.

They were severely weakened but the group was holding its own. "Its just around that corner! Fight through!" I was pushing them.

They were so close. A girl with a sword and shield combo was at the rear. "I–I can't!" She yelled before collapsing. "No El––" I dashed back.

I knocked asides two zombies and hefted the girl onto my shoulder. I turned and saw the gap I had made was closing. I stomped my foot once before charging. I had to get there. I had to. The light. Jane and the others couldn't go on without us. Hang in there Laura, we're almost safe! I slash once more and jump. The light was so bright. I roll for a few feet before coming to a halt at the corner. "Its here!" Someone yelled as they rushed around me. "Go." I say, standing.

I pushed one of them away. "I'll buy time." They looked shocked, but one glance from me sent them running.

I swung my sword once. Once. Then all hell broke loose. The red that filled my eyes wouldn't go away. No matter how much I tore or kicked. No matter how much I cut and slice. I only saw red. I doubled over in the end. The pain had escalated to that point.

"GARH!" A zombie yelled as it threw itself at me.

"SHUT IT!" I slice off its head.

The shards engulf me. I stand with my sword extended. Tears in my eyes. "Just...go..." The image of them standing away from me, the look of shock and disbelief forces me to my knees.

I think I almost died right there. My heart felt like it was going to explode, my lungs couldn't get enough air. I was suffering. "AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I fall to the floor, writhing in pain. Then a comforting black blanket came over me.

Something prodded me. "...Uh..." I opened my eyes a bit. Its a snout.

In two instances I come to realize two things. One, its a tamed beast of the wolf family. Two, there are three hordes surrounding us. The person who found me had a bow and was hidden deep within the shadows of a cloak. I rub my head, that's the first time I've past out in a dungeon. "Thank you." I say as I stand.

The person nods. The wolf pup at my feet licks at my fingers and flaps its wings. That's right. Wings. I pet it around the ears. The auburn fur felt soft and well kept. "Thank you too." It licks my hand again.

"I'm sorry if I stopped you on your way. Let me help clear an exit." That's when I noticed the person for who she was.

"Gaia?" She took a shaky step back.

"Don't get close." Her head was down a bit, I saw her hand go into the shadows where her face is.

A second later she straightens and jabs me hard in the ribs. "IDIOT!" She yells at me.

This might have alerted a few of the monsters but none came our direction. "S-sorry." I take a meek step back.

After a while we escape using the midway. The blue pulsating passageway casts its eerie glow on us as we stepped in. I looked over my shoulder at the dungeon entrance. I saw some people marching through it. Together, a party or better yet a guild. We sit down in a café. After she sips some tea we talk. "Well idiot..." I kept quiet.

She sighs. "Kalos." Her pup nuzzles her hand.

"Well I have a lot of problems now." I listened as she told me her brief adventure.

It ended with her running from the Scarlet Abyss. I kept calm though. With the throbbing pain in my head and the wringing pain in my gut I didn't want to have anymore headaches. "Thank you. Don't risk yourself anymore. If I want to meet Eld, it'll be on his terms." There was silence after this.

The clatter of the café drowned out my thoughts. I opened a menu and paid her. "..." We chatted a bit afterwards.

It spanned many topics until we got to the important one. "How did you get this little one?" His tail thumped hard against the floor as I petted him.

"Oh. I got him while running away from Eld. He's really helpful. Claws. Fangs. Flying. He's a bundle of fun that has..." In a whisper she told me. "Magic." I was astounded.

Magic is basically nonexistent in this game. If you can count them as such the only magics in the game were the buffs and debuffs. Maybe an occasional breath attack. "Interesting." I looked at the pup by my feet.

He seemed kind and innocent. "I don't know how but he does have some magic. He can teleport me to the last town I was in, but only once a day. He sometimes howls and lets loose a small blizzard." This was getting more and more interesting.

"I think there's more but I just haven't had him for more than three days." I scratch Kalos behind the ears.

"Thank you for taking care of my friend." He gives me the closest approximation to a smile that a wolf can give.

"Are you going to explain yourself?" I felt tired again.

Did I really want her to know what happened to me. What he did. What I've become. "Not here. Not now." I say, maybe a hint of my secret sorrow in my voice.

My hand is on the table, it trembles slightly. She unexpectedly covers it with her own. "When and where?" I bow my head a little. She'd understand, my sorrow.

A little while later the sky is darkening. We stand in the middle of a giant forest. "...I'll tell you." I look up at the various stars that divide us from the tier above. They twinkle and flare occasionally.

The next time I open my mouth is the defining moment. I'm starting to open up. "I joined a guild." Is how I start. I tell her a brief account of who we were.

She'd find out the rest. "Diana from the attack on Eld was the leader. That was my first mistake." I clench my hand into a fist.

"We were just doing a routine scouting ahead of the guild. It wasn't suppose to end the way it did." I take a deep shuddering breath.

"When we descended we found that the entire area was an arena for the mini-boss. Eld was there. He...incapacitated me." I don't know if my voice can stay steady.

I describe what happens. How they die. First Laura, then Burt. "To top it off Eld gave me an offer. One that I couldn't refuse. The price," _You know what my price is._ I knew it.

I knew what he wanted. "That's how I killed my friends. That's how I murdered them." If I had only fought harder, faster, I would have saved them. Saved them all.

I gripped my sword. It was a small comfort. Its the only comfort. I wonder how it would feel to have my life shaved off by it. To know that I lost the game to my own sword. Would it hurt, or sting. Or would I be relieved. A sudden feeling of joy as I gave up this fight. I wouldn't find out yet. I needed to take as much of the weight off the others before I died. "Leave..." I walk towards the deep of the forest. "Now." I unsheathe my sword as I dash into the heart of danger. Things attacked me. Latched onto my back. Bit into me. Nothing took the edge off my sorrow. Nothing.

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I approached the boss room. It was just down the corridor. One step. Now another. I lurched one way then another. I saw the clearers ahead. E-stone saw me and shook his head. I fell to my hands and knees a few feet further. The pain was beyond me. I might die here. I might actually die. The sound of crashing, of death urged me on.

_Laura...Burt...John_. They egged me on.

Telling me to battle, to kill. A far away voice called to me. "...Why...do you...do it?" I smile, despite everything.

I stare at the boss door. "Its because I have to." I stand.

My hand on my sword. The clearers look hard at me as I walk down the aisle they made. I stop next to E-stone. We face opposite directions. "Do I still fight with everything and everyone?" I ask him before continuing.

The door was within reach. The pain threatened to floor me. I took two lurching steps to get to the door. One push, that's all that's left. I reach for the dark door.

"I'm proud." That voice sends icy needles up and down my spine.

I turn in a daze. The clearers are drawing their weapons. Its him. Its the devil. Its God. "Eld." I say a bit hollow.

Suddenly all the pressure is off my body. He looks at me with his white smile. His smile of pure gluttonous pleasure. "I'm very proud. My successor is not going to be a slouch." I draw my sword.

"What are you doing here?" E-stone called out.

"Naturally I came to observe my successor." He took a step towards us, no, towards me.

"Sol." He extends his hand, palm up.

I step away from the clearers. Towards Eld. "Its been a while." I say as we close the twenty feet distance between us.

"I haven't seen you since that time on the twenty-second tier." I saw red for a heartbeat.

My sword came down, right for his head. His knife blocked, sparks flew off the two. "Not since we killed on the twenty-second floor." I was briefly surprise that we didn't die right there.

The sheer killing intents coming from the both of us was making the air thick, a metallic stench filled my nose. "ELD!" I kicked him back.

"Haha haha haha!" He stepped back as I hacked and stabbed at him. "ELD!"

I slashed down from his collarbone to his left thigh. The damage light flew off him and splattered on me, almost like blood.

He still continued to laugh. "SOL!"

He dropped to one knee and stabbed into my foot. I raised my sword to behead him, just as he leapt up. I took two or three shaky steps back as the slash went from my foot to my neck.

"AHHHHHH!" I charged forward.

We weren't Sol and Eld anymore. We were more like gods in the machine, trying to get the better of the other. Or rather animals trying to get supremacy over the other. I saw his smile again, amidst the red light and sparks. My free hand shot up. We stopped. I was stopping his knife in my left hand, he was stopping my sword with his hand. For an instant I saw something look back at me from my reflection off Eld's knife. The Angel was smiling and laughing. From my sword I saw Cooper's reflection shake his head.

"THIS IS WHAT I LIVE FOR!" Eld yelled as he tore his knife from my hands.

I was so shocked I was frozen. He shouldered me back and unleashed a flurry of stabs. My chest became one big red light from the sheer number of blows. I slid back a few feet.

_This is what I wanted. The KILLL!_ I wanted to tell the Angel to go to hell.

Eld lunged at me, his knife glowing. This would kill me. Kill me...Was I at peace with that. Was that the ultimate atonement for what happened to Laura, Burt, and John. It might be. I closed my eyes.

And I couldn't do it. I couldn't do it. I used _Sky Dance_ to match Eld blow for blow. He used the the seven consecutive hit special for knives, _Anarchy._ Our first two slashes met, two horizontals matching two diagonals. I saw his knife coming back around as I continued _Sky Dance_. Two vertical slashes from Eld followed by two thrusts that barely matched the final corkscrewing slashes. I rise in the air as Eld crouches low to the ground. He jumps up with a vicious slice as I bring my blade down. Red light geysered from us. But he was done, seven hits versus nine. I smile. This fight is mine. I stand and bring my blade up into Eld's collarbone, almost cleaving him in two. I pull back and ready the thrust. He's still paused for a few more seconds.

"HAAAAAAA!" I stab into his chest with as much power as I could muster.

The impact sends him flying almost ten feet back. I huff. My action pause wears off as Eld kneels. "That was perfect." He says as he stands.

Our health bars are in the red. We can't take much more of this abuse, one of us will die first. "I'd expect nothing less from my successor. Tell me Sol." He cracks his knuckles as he approaches me again.

"Will you lead my Abyss? Will you kill for me?" My anger flashed bright hot inside of me. I was going to have his head on a pike.

"I'll take great pleasure in decapitating you." I say as I ready my sword again.

"Sol." I hear a voice behind me. Its E-stone. "Don't interfere." I call over my shoulder.

This was going to end here and now. I stand less than three feet away from Eld. Our health bars had climbed to where they were barely yellow. "But do you know what the difference between us is?" Eld asks me.

"One of us is a dead man walking while the other will live on." Our eyes are locked and he then spoke to me.

"No. That's not it at all." In a flash our blades meet again.

But something is different. "YOU FORGET YOUR FIGHTING GOD!" He yells at my face. I realize it.

He's over powering me. He forces my blade up and wraps his arms around my middle. He lifts me up into the air and begins running. "GRRRRRAAAAAAA!" The nonsensical yell from Eld was greeted by the shuffling of feet and armor rustling. He slammed me hard into the doors and forced them open.

I was winded in between the outside and inside of the boss room. "Lord Eld!" I glance briefly behind me. Eld's guild is inside the room.

Their numbers are a smaller but they are here. All thirty something, with the boss fighting at the very back of the room. With that I'm knocked fully into the boss room. Eld is ready to kill. "Forward!" E-stone yells.

His guild mates, ten of them, form up and rush in behind us. "COME ON!" Set yells at his twenty. Then the rest follow.

"My Abyss! To slaughter!" Then the most destructive thing happened. A boss fight and a war between players. It would be a massacre.

I grit my teeth and lunge once more at Eld. He punches me hard and we continue our duel. We circle around each other for a minute before lashing out. Eld grabbed a nearby clearer and hurled him at me. I rolled away and blocked a downward slash from Eld. "This is what I want. For you to see what you can become. What you can lead!" I feel fear rising in me again.

I see players I've known since the beginning getting close to death. I saw Eld's murderers rushing them. They had done some serious level grinding. Their ferocity and even level was moving things in their favor despite the number disadvantage. The clearers were still fresh and there were nearly twice if not three times as many of them.

"FIGHT!" Eld yelled.

I pushed him back and looked around once more. There wasn't going to be a good ending to this. Its going to be like that time all over again. I could already feel the system ready to kill us as soon as our avatars became shattered data. I grimace.

Eld kicks me down. "Turning your back on the enemy. Are you that cocky?" He asks as I see his knife begin to glow.

I grab a gem from a pouch and use it to replenish my health. But behind Eld I see something that drained me of my vitality. It was Red. Her trademark cloak between three players. Blue was being extra cruel in his attacks. With his shield he forced her onto her knees, he shifted out with a great-sword user who raised his sword. Her health wouldn't take the blow. "..." The sound of crashing filled my mind.

Its the same all over again. I am going to watch and let someone die in front of me, again.

"NNNOO!" I rushed past Eld as his knife barely missed me.

I came from their flank so Blue couldn't see me coming as I aimed at his partner. I used _Shatter_ on his exposed flank and sent him skidding, right under the boss's foot. There was a crash as the player died. Blue didn't miss a beat. He shoved me back with his shield as I defended Red. I grabbed onto his shield and locked with him. As we tried to force the other to submit I could see more PKers rushing towards us. I used _Ram_ to knock Blue back as they came.

"Stay back!" I parry a cutlass.

I shove him back and stab into his gut with _Lunula._ He dropped to the floor with one arm gone. A spear user came in over him and stabbed me in my chest. Lifting me up in the process I watched the fighting progress.

"HAAAAA!" I slice off the head of the spear with _Crescent_.

I drop to my knees as the player falls back. Part of his weapon is still lodged in my chest. I pull it out and throw it before it breaks apart. He stumbles as it cuts his leg at the knee. I close the distance. Eld rushes in and covers the PKer's retreat.

"NOW! Fall back!" I see multiple lights as they all teleport away.

Eld smiles as he leaps back and gets out a gem. I try to get at him but he escapes. "Wha––" The boss is in front of me. He did it intentionally.

This was the situation he wanted to create. I turned around. "RU–" The spear of the boss comes through me and strikes the floor.

I'm stunned as I'm hefted into the air. With a forceful swing I'm off the spear and spinning through the air. I flop like a ragdoll upon impact. My body bent in an odd position, my sword clatters a few feet away from me.

"Ah..." My health is red.

I'm done for. I can't even move anymore. "SOL!" Someone yells.

But the rest of what they say is drowned out by the roars of the boss. I guess I was whittled down and broken by Eld. He won. This is it. I crawl and grab my sword. With much pain I stand. Turning I see the clearers scrambling to form up as the boss howls. The last thing I see, before the light blinds me, is a red hood bobbing amongst the clearers.

"HAAAAA!" My sword glows as I charge. I'd buy them time at the very least. As _Sky_ _Dance_ started the light from the sword blinded me. I gradually lost my hearing and then it was dark.

_ Why...Why..._The constant echoes. Who were they. I can vaguely see shapes. Then I see them.

"LAURA!" I run forward.

The thick fog trying to drag me back. "BURT! JOHN!" They're right here.

I can get to them now. I can be forgiven. "Please!" The fog grows thicker and they grow more obscure. "NO!" I fight and struggle.

The black lines at the edge of my vision spread towards them. I'll save them. This time I will! I reach forward as Laura extends her hand.

The fog is lifted. I see only white emptiness in all directions. Laura is sobbing into my shoulder. I have her in a hug. I did it...I saved her. I saved them. Burt and John were sitting at the edges of my vision. I feel tears come down my face in warm streams.

"I–I'm sorry." I say as Laura sobs harder.

I don't know how long I spend like this. I could have cared less. They're safe and their back. "I'm sorry." I say again. My voice pained and quiet.

"I'm so sorry." I want to fall to my knees and sob with her. Then its like we switched roles. I'm sobbing as Laura keeps me anchored. Keeping me here.

"Its okay." I hear in between my own pained cries.

She pats my back as I sob. "Its all okay." I can't see anymore.

My tears are coming to fast. "We forgive you." I freeze.

A sudden sense of relief filling me from head to toe. "Eh..." She squeezes me a bit.

"Its okay. Because we forgive you," Burt and John start to walk away.

"For killing us." She let's go of me. And it feels like I'm pushing her back.

The knife in my hand piercing her heart. "We don't hate you." She says.

Her body slowly breaks apart in front of me. I'm left standing. Her light fading as were the other guys. "No. Wait!" I call out as they get more vague with each of their footsteps. "STOP!" I reach out for them.

"Ha ha ha ha." The Angel laughs behind me.

"That was marvelous kid." I scowl.

"Your dead." I start towards him and realize that I can't move.

"You did it!" He looked so happy with my face on him.

He was so happy at the slaughter. "STOP!"

"YOU KILLED!" My head felt as if someone stuck electrodes to it.

"I saw it! You knocked that guy right under the boss!" The Angel doubled over laughing.

The cracks were the largest I'd ever seen them. They nearly took up my entire vision now. "You see now. Your just like Eld. Whether its letting people die or throwing them to the wolves. You just kill. Come on! LET ME LOOSE!" I fall back.

The Angel was nothing but a monster. And I was the sword he was going to use.

In the distance my friends were just specks. My world was coming down around me. "LET ME LOOSE!" He started choking me.

"GIVE ME WHAT I WANT!" I felt nothing but pain and anguish overwhelm me.

"N–NO!" He forced me to submit. I was blacking out. If that happened It'd be my loss. For a brief moment I saw him, then I was remembering.

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"Yo, Thomas." I walk towards the cabin.

Its December. "Sorry, just had to go clear my head." Reese claps me on my back as we enter.

Its a gathering, my friends. All of them. Jane and Laura were near the fire. Mike and Jack were viewing something on their phones. Reese and I joined the poker game. I sat next to Shay and across from Shiloh. Jason and Mikayla were outside, getting the snowman ready. Sim was somewhere, hopefully not doing anything illegal with the fireworks. Burt later came along. Our parents were out in back, doing some cooking. It was Christmas eve. What better way to spend it than around a fire with friends and some pyrotechnics.

It got pretty late when Sim came in, "I've got it set up." I was a bit worried he might start a forest fire but with all this snow we should be fine.

"Come on, its about time." Mike and Jack rushed first.

We filed out in front of the cabin. Our snowman looked like it was startled. Firecrackers began at its mouth and ended around the ground. "I hope this is legal." I mutter.

Sim laughs. "Lighten up. Or better yet, just light it up." He had the matches, I got one too.

"Oh well, if this goes horrible wrong you so owe me." He stuck his tongue out at me.

He received a snowball for this. I lit the first firecracker. "LET IT FLY!" Sim yelled as he set off firework after firework.

I was impressed we didn't catch someone on fire. When the adults got out of the snow, ducking for cover, we were all scolded. But it was fun. To top it all off we started singing Christmas carols. It was a wonderful day. Especially when Jane and Laura started singing _Silent_ _Night_. They had beautiful voices. Then we boys had to jump in. We made the song a hopeless mess and laughed afterwords.

It was truly a great day. "Merry Christmas." We yelled as we began our snowball war.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

"No..." I gripped the Angel's wrists.

He felt cold. "No." I said with a bit more force.

I wasn't going to give in. I wasn't done fighting. "NO!" I tore his hands away from my throat and knocked him back.

He had a bleeding nose now. "THAT's IT!" He lunged at me. We wrestled around. Finally we stopped as we both tried to strangle the other. I was going to murder him.

I tightened my grip around his neck and ignored the burning pain in my lungs. This ends now. But then, it just ended. Cooper put his hands on us and pushed us apart. "That's not like you." He said.

I blinked. He was right. "SHUT IT!" The Angel lunged at him.

Cooper was down. The Angel on top. "Stop interfering!"

I saw Cooper's head turn sharply with a crack. I was blind for a handful of moments. "YOU BASTARD!" I was going to get my revenge. Cooper, he didn't deserve that. He didn't deserve to die. He didn't.

I smashed my knuckles hard into the Angel's face. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

I saw the Angel grin, blood pouring from his nose. "I'm Sol, who the fuck are you?"

We switched positions, he pummeled me. "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!" I saw stars cover my vision.

The pain is immense. "That's not like you." Cooper pushed us apart.

"STOP!" The Angel yelled. He was almost frothing at the mouth. "STOP!" He got onto his hands and knees. Blood dripped to the ground. Again he attacked Cooper. The Angel was choking him. Cooper just looked at him, sad. "Its not like you." He said and calmly grabbed the Angel's arms. Then I saw them. Tears.

"STOP!" I start.

Panic filled my mind. Don't kill them. Not them. I breathed rapidly. My lungs burned. Tears kept streaming down my face. "NO!" I covered my face with my hands.

"DON'T DO IT!" Eld did it. He killed.

The hands shaking me, I ignored. The voice calling my name, I repressed. "STOP!" My body shook.

The images of shattering and screams of the dead haunted me. "Stop...stop...stop it..." Someone embraced me.

I started to feel warmth again. "Stop..stop it...please..." The images slowly faded to black.

The dead stopped dying. The screams froze in their throats. "Stop..." I slumped forward, the person supported me. "Its...okay..." I heard the voice, vague and distant.

"Its okay...Its okay." Someone, someone was actually comforting a bastard like me. I couldn't stop the tears. "Its okay. Its okay." I hugged the person.

Partly because I hoped it was someone who I missed. Partly to make sure the person was real. "Sol..." For the longest time I just kept myself in that position.

The images were nothing but dark now. Gone completely from my mind. We parted. Red looked me in the eyes, she looked like she had been crying as well. "Its okay." She said that for what must have been the umpteenth time now.

I nod. Oddly at peace. Then my exhaustion came at me, it blindsided me. I felt dizzy and I started to get double vision. The cringing pain in my gut helped to effectively knock me out.

This time I slept, calmly and fully. I recovered. The mind has its ways of keepings itself intact after massive trauma. I slept, and while I slept I healed. Nothing solid. Just scar tissue to keep from looking at it. If I prodded enough the wound would bleed and burst open. My pain would come back and I would sink back into this state. But the thing was, I wasn't going to prod it. I was going to let it sit and mend. Let it lose a bit of its sting. Its like a poison that needs to ferment and work itself into a harmless state. Or semi-harmless. I don't know how long I slept. Or how many times I woke up screaming and sobbing. But I do know this. Eld had broken me. I was now something held together by strings. He did it. He beat me. For now. Let him laugh, I'll have him soon. Then I'll tear my wound wide open and let loose all that pain on him. I don't care if that just brought me to his level, I wanted to get even. And as a human being, getting even is a part of life.


	7. Phase 06

**Authors note––I'm sorry it took this long to post both this and the last chapter, which I haven't touched, dang it. I was trying to get these up by January but I couldn't access the account to upload, long story short Sol's hell reaches an interesting point. The Angel is explained if you the very vague hints haven't already alerted you. But let it be known that Eld has it out for Sol. And that this will shape him for the rest of the game when Eld's part is said and done. But always expect him to come back for one last back stabbing moment.**

Phase 06 Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall and all the King's horses and all his men...

I heard footsteps outside the door. A brief knock then the door opened. "Sol, I got you some breakfast." I was unresponsive for a time.

Then the words reached me, my mind worked for a response. I smile down at my hands. "That's nice." She closed the door and brought up a chair. I ate mechanically. The soup tasted good.

"Do you need anything Sol?" I felt parched.

"That's nice." I answered automatically.

I seemed to have finished my meal as she set the bowl down. "Do you hurt anywhere?" The bird singing outside sounded really good. "That's nice..." I heard Red sigh.

She made to get up. The floorboards creaked and the door open. I looked up. "Red..." She stopped in the doorway. I looked at the curtains. "Red...like the sunset..." Then I returned my gaze to my hands.

Nothing else to do. The door closed. The footsteps went down stairs. The bird stopped singing. "...Sad..." I muttered to myself.

I sounded like a machine, especially since I was talking to no one in particular. I continued to look down at my hands for a while. The wind picked up and I closed my eyes. _Who am I?_ A voice asked. _What am I?_ I shook my head. _I'm nothing then._

I ignored the sudden need I had to keep my eyes closed. Voices were approaching, and it wasn't the one in my head. "I got the word, he woke up." They got closer.

"Yeah." They walked towards the door. "I have to say though...he's out of it...Don't push him for much." There was a brief silence and then the door opened slowly.

"Sol." I looked down at my hands. "I heard you woke up, I just came to congratulate you." "That's nice." I heard the bird start again.

"Yeah, we were all worried. We saw you take on the boss to cover us. That was really brave." The bird sounded good again. "That's nice." There was a pause in which I only heard the bird. "Sol...are you listening?" "That's nice." Again the quiet with the bird.

Then whispers. "Just let him be." "You...You've kept an eye on him these three days. Has he been like that..." The silence was welcomed. I look up. The sun shined outside. "Its bright." I said a bit dreamily.

Footsteps approach. "Sol...are you in there...Sol." _Is that who I am?_ The voice came back.

I frown. "S...ol..." The word seemed familiar.

"Don't upset him." Red said. "Sol. You know me. Its me E-stone. You know. Goldilocks." I smile. "That's nice." The silence was filling me again.

"Sol...what did Eld do to you?" "Eld?" _Eld...Eld...Eld..._That's not who I am. Eld. That name clicked in my head.

_Eld_. I clenched my hands. _Eld_. _Eld_. "I see. I'm sorry to bother you Red. If he ever...Lets keep in touch." The footsteps start to go away.

"Eld?" They stopped at the door. "Yes, Eld." The door opened. Then something snapped in me. For two seconds everything was dark. Then it grew bright again.

E-stone was sprawled out at my feet. Shocked. My hand slammed into the wall and the glow faded. "Yes...that's right. Eld. That's right." I sneered. I picked E-stone up. "Where is he?"

He looked as if he had a variety of emotions passing through his mind. "Sol, your back?" "You know it." I responded.

We sat at my table. We were in fact in my house. I don't know the specifics but someone thought I should recover here. Red had been staying with me since I collapsed. "Have you found him?" E-stone shook his head. I grunt. "That's fine." I lean back in my seat.

I briefly thought about how I'm going to slaughter Eld. That perked me up a bit. "Sol..." I looked at Red. "You should rest a bit more. You went a long time without food and sleep. A little more rest will do you good." I look down at my hands for a moment. "Its been three days. That's long enough." They seemed anxious.

"Out with it. You want to know something." It was a fact. They shared a look. Red began talking. "Well...we all just want to know what happened to you." I calmed myself. "Eld. He found me. He manipulated and used me. For that three players are gone. He got his wish. He won." Its a generalization. But its true, he had won.

They were quiet. "If you want the details you'll have to pry them from my corpse." I was completely serious. "No need to say that. Considering that you were pretty close for a while." E-stone looks down. "Don't worry. I'm back to normal now." I stand then.

"Help yourselves to whatever you want. I've left the clearing for long enough." I head to the door. Halfway there I stumble and drop to one knee. Red's at my side. "Your not fine, you can barely walk to the door." I grimace.

My body felt sore and each step made me ache. E-stone helped me up and I leaned against a wall. "Take it easy man. You practically tore yourself apart these past few days. Take it slow for a while." He seemed nervous. "Look we're going to prepare for the twenty-fifth boss fight. If its like we think then its going to be a hell of a fight." He extends his hand. "I'd like to have you there." I nod. We shake hands. "I'm still going out there." He sighs. "Red, look after him for a while. I don't want to tell them he died of stupidity." She nodded.

E-stone left. I took a moment to gather my strength. I took slow careful steps to the door. I tottered and Red was at my side. "Easy now. If you won't rest at least go at your own pace." I nod. Outside we link up. "I'm sorry for keeping you occupied." She shook her head. She turned away from me for a moment. Then she put her hood on. "Its fine. I was tired of fighting." We went to the new tier.

The Twenty-fifth tier was a dark area. It was filled of blue rocks and canyons. Glowing crystals and perpetual night. The main town here was at the base and inside a giant stone tree. It had a nimbus of glowing lights in its leaves. Casting down light on the town, Lumen. I look up for a moment. The mysterious stars were always out here. "..." We head to the field.

While out in the field with Red I had some time to think. "...Pathetic..." I muttered under my breath once. I thought Red might not have heard it, or she ignored it. There was this area on the tier called _The Sheer_. It was wide open with only a few boulders. It was well lit from above. After you got here you had maybe three hundred feet till you got to the cliff's edge. I looked down the perpendicular cliff.

"Sol..." Red called from behind me. I looked down, there was a chasm at the bottom. From a fall like this it would probably be an instant death. But there was something about this place. How the cliff had certain boulders in line with each other. I checked my quest log for answers. I looked at it grimly. "Sol." Red called again.

"I'm coming." I closed out the menu. "You alright, you froze there..." I look down at my feet. "Its nothing. We should head to town before it gets any later." We started to turn back.

The hike down was tiring. The number of monsters doubled because of the lateness of the day. _Hypocrite_. I grimace. That's what I was. I remember telling the Alliance of White Wings something, it was after I saved Laura from the Creepers. And how I should now take my own advice.

_ "I don't think you've noticed but I was scared too." I push Jane away. I was trembling. "And that is why I have to go." She was shocked. She's not the only one who can play emotionless. "This is Dæmonica. Purgatory. The Death Game. And being afraid leads to being another number on the dead list." I draw my sword. "Because this game puts our lives at risk we shouldn't hide and run from our fears." I'm a foot away from the dark wall. "If you live with fear on your shoulder all you'll have in the end is death." I lunge forward into the dark._

"Sol!" I parry the strike from the Imp. The little monster with wings lifted its pickaxe once more. I stepped towards it and unleashed _Lunula_.

The Imp was killed a moment later. To my left and right I was surrounded by _Soul_-_seekers_. Shadow dogs that opened up from their mouths, and all along their spine, like some type of demonic flower. One opened up and lunged. The sawlike teeth that lined it internally sawed into my leg.

I am quite the hypocrite.

Two more come in from behind me. My action pause is over, but I don't move. I fall forward from the sudden blows. I'm on my hands and knees. "Damn!" Red is occupied with her own enemies. A skeletal warrior, bigger than the Wretched.

This was a _Sorrowful_. "Get up!" She yelled to me. A Soul-seeker blocked my view of her. If it attacked now it'd be a beheading. An instant kill. And I'm not afraid of that. Death is omnipresent in this game. We slaughter these generated monsters who are unique beings in their own right. No two creatures will ever have the exact same experience before being destroyed and another one replaces it. Same covers, different content. I smile. I wish I was afraid. I really do. I thrust forward, to the small gemstone at the back of the throat of the Soul-seeker. Its the critical spot, the monster recoils and halts its attack.

I stand, slowly. "Sol?!" Red called from behind the Sorrowful. Yes, I am Sol. The Angel of Death, hear the beat of my wings. And the bite of my sword. In a flash my situation in reversed.

I pin one of the dogs under my foot and press down on its head. Two come from my sides. I duck as low as I can and let them knock each other down. My arm burned, my very soul and mind cried out for more. For action, for violence. "..." My silent battle cry, with that I slam my foot down once.

Shattered data engulfs me, the Soul-seeker I was crushing was dead. "...Next..." I said flatly. My hand shot out and caught another dog by the throat. I raised it over head and stabbed. I was knocked back for that, two more had stalked right in front of me.

They growl and bare their fangs. I give them a smile. _Crescent_ silences them. I stepped into the attack and cleaved through their critical spot. I see more, three to be exact. They lunge at me, mid-leap my action pause is up. I do a backflip, its an easy evasive maneuver. I slide back a foot after that, then my sword is leveled. One of the creatures springboards off another. Its open wide, I stare into its depths. My blade comes up a foot, the forward momentum of the lunge and the fact that the thing was opened made for a nice instant kill. The monster cleaved itself in half before crashing. The remaining beasts growled but backed off. They'd run soon. I turn to the Sorrowful. The weeping skull got no pity from me as I jumped onto it. I stabbed it mid-spine and tore upwards. When my sword came from free of the collarbone I kicked off it. The monster fell, sprawled out on the ground. It shattered a moment later. I swung my sword once before sheathing it. "We should hurry before more spawn." Is all I say to a shocked Red.

To cut down on expenses we share a room. I sat on the edge of my bed, the shower I took had been cold. I held a photo of the guild from Jane's birthday. I won't prod, I tell you, I won't prod that pain. I put it in my inventory as Red enters with a sandwich for me. "Thanks for the save earlier. I guess the time for solos is coming to an end." "Yeah." She sits on the other bed and watches me for a moment.

"I gave what you said some thought..." I stop eating.

"There's this little guild I know from tier seven." I stare at the sandwich for a moment before I finish it in three bites. "That's good." We're quiet. Deathly so. "If you want..." She started, "I could talk to the guys." I could see where this was going.

"I'm sorry, I will have to decline." I saw her suppress herself. She had somethings to say, but she wasn't pressing me yet. "Thank you for the offer." I turn off my lamp.

I was about to lay down when one thought burned into my head. "Do you like them?" Red answered a moment later. "Yes, yes I do." I close my eyes. "Then stick with them. Don't let them out of your sights." My head hit my pillow and I was out.

I looked out at the vague dawn. There seemed to be a membrane of darkness that made the sunlight dim. I was up early, its the only time to see the pale sun in this game. Several towns had these churches, but they were aways empty. Unless you had an event or quest the church's would always be empty. I kneeled in the pews. The pale light was slowly rising, soon it'd be gone. The cross on the altar looked like it was carved from wood. I didn't go up to it to find out. I pressed my head to the floor, I am not worthy. If God had cell reception in this game then I hope he could carry my prayers.

I went down a list of names. "Kate...Red...Jane...Gaia...Laura..." Each name had a prayer, a wish, a request for big G to help them. Keeping them safe, keeping them sane, an assortment of things I hoped they still the end of my list I felt as if I could go on for the day. "Sid...E-stone...Cooper..." Cooper had the longest pause, he had the longest prayer.

I stood after a few seconds. I could care less about what people would have thought had they seen me. I just knew that this, praying to God from the game, was helping me make it through another day. I made towards the doors and paused. I wasn't very religious in real life. I still went to church regularly, and I remember this. I deposited a handful of Lire into a small box with lit and unlit candles around it.

I met up with Red in the lobby of the inn. "You're up early." She said rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Yeah." We leave. We walk amongst the crowd for a while. "So, what do you feel like doing today?" For a heartbeat I thought treasure hunting. "Want to go visit Wayland?" There were to many players out and about, I'd hate to get in a fight over hunting grounds.

I had Red go in first, as a courtesy of course. But also to avoid Wayland's overzealous greetings. She came from behind her counter as we entered. "Ah, my two favorite people." She came and hugged us tight.

"Nice to see you Wayland." Red says after rubbing her side.

"Good morning," is all I contribute. Wayland ushered us into her kitchen.

"Its been so long since we've been together like this." She said as she pours us some tea.

I nod and take a sip. Its perfect. I can feel my mind calming down. All the racing thoughts of revenge and despair cooled for the moment. I looked at everything, almost sleepily. This moment, I wish it could last. I take another sip of the tea and feel the moment rot. "Ah..." I saw everything a bit dimmer now.

The forge gave off more of a chill than it use to. I put on a smile at the two people sitting at the table with me. I feel a tiny trickle of warmth coming. Yes, if it would only last forever. I drained my tea and set the cup on the table. I had some light conversation with Wayland. "Yes, the ore fields on the twenty-fifth tier are rich with many rare varieties." I saw her eyes glimmer.

She would want to take a trip there, and we'd get new armor and weapons for our troubles. I would like that, I would really like that. "Can you take me there one day, imagine the boom in my business!" I smile. "Well hurry up, we'll be heading back there soon." She gawked at me.

Then she gave me a crushing hug and went off to fetch her armor. "That was nice." Red said as she got a small sandwich from the plate on the table. "Yes it was." We're eerily quiet. "Do you really want to take her up there, didn't you say she was terrified of the undead monsters?" I shrug.

"If your afraid of something, it will kill you. I don't want to see that happen, ever." I stand. "I'll meet you girls at the inn on the twenty-fifth tier." I made for the door.

"Sol...wait." I stopped, my hand inches from the door. "...Are you sure you're alright?" I sigh. "I'm fine." I leave then, not sure how long I can keep up my lies.

I head straight to the field. There I curl up into a ball and yell out. My pain and agony. It was clawing at me from the scars. I grit my teeth and swallow my tears. Yes, thats right.

"_I don't think you've noticed but I was scared too." ..._

"_And that is why I have to go."..._

"_This is Dæmonica. Purgatory. The Death Game. And being afraid leads to being another number on the dead list." I draw my sword. _

"_Because this game puts our lives at risk we shouldn't hide and run from our fears." ... _

"_If you live with fear on your shoulder all you'll have in the end is death."_

Yes, that's right. I keep my flooding emotions back and head for the meeting point. The girls take their time in getting there. I noticed Wayland's new armor and couldn't help but think she looked fairly cute. I turned slightly away to hide my smile. "Well let's go. Most players should be back in for lunch." They nod and follow me.

The dimly lit tier felt as if it was waiting for me. I let out a shaky breath. Something was going to happen. Someone was watching. I felt the stare bore into me, an ability from the tracking and hiding skills. Or maybe just my intuition. I shivered and kept on going into the field. The strangest thing about right now was the fact that there were no monsters. Wayland found a vein rich in ores and began chipping away. Gathering up the minerals and having a good time. Red seemed as uneasy as I felt. She paced around, as if patrolling a perimeter. I sit down as time passes. "Oh look at this!" Wayland was holding up another ore.

"Gold, I tell you!" That would fetch a nice price at market, or she could make something even more valuable.

I smile at her and look at the scenery. Red still seemed impatient as the minutes past. I saw something that made me shiver. "I'll be back." I tell them.

Wayland is oblivious while Red stops me. "What are you planning?" I shrug.

"I'm going to fall asleep at this rate, I'm going to take an enthusiastic walk." I walk for a bit. As soon as I round the corner I draw my sword. A knife was deflected by my blade. I ready myself.

No peace, no rest, nothing. "I'm surprised that you were able to avoid that." The shadowy figure said.

They dropped down around me. I suppose I should give them a good show. "Let's keep this quiet. I don't want my friends coming over." One of the cloaked figures let out a sound of pure irritation. He draws out his lone sword and moves to confront me. I parry accordingly and stare into the depths of his hood. His eyes reflected only rage. I felt a tremble of fear go up and down my spine. Whatever he wanted with me wasn't good. I shoved him back and put a bit of space between his group and myself. "Sol!" Someone hissed.

I looked back in time to see a spear pierce through me. I stumble forward a bit and recover. I slashed away at the new aggressor. A mace connected with my side moments later. I fall to the ground from the sudden blow. "Damn it." I hiss and start to rise.

Three knives whiz past me. One left a shallow graze on my cheek. And I saw the person who threw them. My eyes were wide. I can't forget those eyes, I should have seen this coming. I stand and charge. "AHHHHHH!"

I get slammed back by two shield-users. I trip over myself. I barely maintain my balance before I see them form up. "Why now!?" Diana the leader of the Alliance of White Wings, no, Jane stood a few meters away.

"This is retribution. Its judgement day for you, and we're here to even the scales." Her answer held nothing in it from what it use to. I lost her, the one person who could see through the veil of lies, I lost her. I feel a regrettable warmth at the corner of my eye.

I grimaced. I don't have time for this. I feel like I might sob. I cover my face with one hand. Its hard to suppress tears in the game, but not impossible. It required an astonishing amount of will power to stop yourself. I continue to grimace but I turn it into that psychotic, evil smile.

I drop my hand, a laugh rises in my throat. "Oh my god...ha...ha..." I stifle it.

"About time, do you want me to clip your wings that bad!?" I level my sword. This would not end well. They glared murder at me but stayed put. "Come at me!" I goad at them.

I feel my soul curl up and wither. This is the thing Eld is the best at. Causing pain. That moment when he gave me that evil deal, that moment was the fount of a humongous well of pain! The scar on my being radiated all that pain. More for Eld to receive, more for him to suffer for. "Why don't you react. Come on. I betrayed your trust, slaughtered our friends––" A knife buries itself in my shoulder.

There is a tremendous force behind it. Her Javelin throwing skill. I pull out the knife. "I see." They were sieging me. I was painted into a corner.

They knew I don't abandon party members, but as far as they are concerned I kill them personally. That's what Red and Wayland are now, my party members. And with Jane being their ranged specialist, I was at an awful disadvantage. But deep inside me, I felt proud. They were very close to Clearer levels now. Just a bit more.

I wish I could have been with them, to continue those happy days in a game of death. More knives. These are barely pinpricks, tiny flicks of a finger on my skin. But a lot of littles makes a big one. I was pushed back. And one hurt my knee bad. I pulled out the various weapons and saw the red damage light come out from the wounds. I was down on one knee.

The odds against me keep increasing. I grip my sword hard for a moment. I was going to have to pull some magic out of a hat for this. I was about to rush in recklessly when two sets of footsteps approached. "SOL!" Was the simultaneous cry.

They stood on either side of me. Wayland and Red. "We got you." Red said as she rapidly assessed my former guild. "Don't." I tell her as I stand.

"What?" Reese and Shay charged in. I could only stand stock still as my old friends warred against my new ones. I grimace. "Don't fight!" I slash upwards and force Reese and Red apart.

Then I grab Red by the front of her cloak and throw her. "Wha––" I aimed her perfectly, she collided with Wayland and both were out of harms way. "..." Reese charged.

He bashed me with his shield before slashing me from shoulder to shoulder. The blade had just cleared my body when I gripped it. "Don't you dare interfere!" I call to Red.

Then I put some distance between me and the guild. Their formation was wide open down the middle. A definite trap. A trap to cover the weakness. I ready myself. Knives glanced off me as I gripped my sword hard. Then it was in the air, I threw it high.

I leapt forward and rocket for Jane, the keystone. I ignore the harsh damage that I was taking. Mace, spear, sword, it was all the same. Then Mike stepped in front of me. His saber out and ready to kill. I didn't stop or change my course. I barreled right into him, his saber piercing my gut. I don't stop, if anything this helps. A human shield between me and Jane. I grab him and charge right for her. "Bastard!" He yells before slamming his forehead into my face.

I grimace, I have to reach her. Then I don't see her, a sharp pain registers. Mike and I separate as I clutch the knife sticking out of my eye. "Damn it." My sword plunges into the ground behind Mike.

I had been counting on this rash plan and I failed to remember that Jane has deadly accuracy. As if to prove that point her knives slice into my shoulder and ribs. Flesh wounds, or the equivalent game wise. I reached for my dagger. We were tense. This was going to be a one sided battle. I draw my dagger and a knife plunges deep into my chest and like that I start to fall back from the especially heavy impact.

"Wonderful, about time." The Angel looked bored on his throne. Something was off, something was very wrong. He didn't seem so...blood thirsty. And this terrified me somewhere in my being.

"What, no attempt at overtaking me?" He spat away from me before talking. "I'm just really tired." He seemed especially weary.

"But I know you will submit, and that I will wreak havoc." I felt dread up and down my spine. He stands from his throne and I can't recognize the Angel. Wrath, pure rage curled off him like smoke. Blood-red smoke. "N-nev––" His knee slams hard into my gut.

"Oh you will. I'm not messing around anymore. This stopped being a game the last time you came here." When Cooper saved me, or when the tears came. I looked up at the Angel and I saw them again. Tears. the malicious aura around him turned into one of extreme isolation, despair, sorrow. I nearly choked, it was just to much. "Submit, to me."

I never thought him more than just bloodlust and violence, but I would have preferred that to this...this...this catastrophe! "N-no." I tried to hold onto my will but already I was fading out. I retreated within myself, trying to stop it from unleashing a monster. "I'm sorry Thomas." It said to me.

I catch myself. The knife still in my chest. I feel the regrettable warmth welling up in my right eye. I look at them through the Angel's perspective. And I felt none of that unmanageable wrath, just a desolateness. A single thought propelled my motion. _Stop_ _them_. I lunged forward. Even as the barrage of knives dropped my health by large chunks. Mike moved to intercept my hellbent path. "SOL!" He yelled.

I matched his slash with my dagger and punched him, hard. His entire body spun and he fell to the ground. This was all in the space of a few seconds, and I never stopped moving forward. Jane stepped back slowly as she unleashed her storm of knives. I blocked them, and dodged them with great accuracy. I plucked my sword from were it impaled the ground and continued forward at an increased pace.

Reese and Shay moved in to block me, they must have flanked me while I was being dealt with by Mike. They formed a shoddy shield wall. I slammed into it with my very existence. They strained. And then I pushed my sword between the gap between their shields. That was all the give I needed. I knocked Shay aside and landed blow after blow on Reese. His shield barely received half of my attack, his body took the rest as direct hits. I sheathed my dagger, it wasn't necessary. Jane continued her onslaught at a reduced pace, even she couldn't carry an infinite amount of daggers. I sliced cleanly through one and wasn't even bothered by the shatter effect. Then the distance was just that a few feet. I reached for her. She looked terrified. I grabbed her shoulder and leveled my sword. I would plunge this blade into her.

I would have to, if Mike hadn't have recovered. His saber protruded from my chest. Jane escaped, Mike didn't. I turned and dealt with him. He had improved greatly. We matched blades and looked each other in the eyes. His reflected pure rage. He seemed to whisper. "Tell me..." Then we leapt back and he loudly asked me.

"Tell me, how did it feel murdering them?!" I felt a twinge of hesitation.

Eld's deal echoed throughout my mind. I smile then. An uncommon storm settled over us. "How it felt, is that all?" I raised my sword, readying for another strike.

"It was just the most amazing feeling ever." He gawked for a moment, and I attacked him in that moment. He fell back with a harsh slash across his chest. He was missing his saber. The rain came then, pounding sheets of it. I experimented with this style of fighting.

Little did I know that this would hardly be the last time I encountered this style.

The potential seemed high. I swung both swords once and felt a responding wind, and distortion in the rain. A sword in my left hand, a sword in my right. I was surprised an offensive oriented player hadn't thought up this before. Easily twice the offensive capabilities of just a sword. I saw red damage light come from the back of the group in front of me. Red and Wayland. "Keep it together. Nico, Deven with me!" Jane concentrated on me as she let the rest of the guild deal with my friends.

I felt something in the back of my mind. Something that can't be held back. Something stronger than sheer instincts and actions. Probably stronger than this death game. "HAAAAAAAAAA!" I charge forward.

The Angel's influence fading. I was more or less in control. Jane had a dagger out and to one side of Reese. Mike, he now had a rapier, was trying to flank me as I made my enraged charge. I don't know exactly what I was planning on doing, so that meant that they couldn't hope to know what I would do. I stabbed into Reese's shield with both blades and kicked him back. Jane was easily within range but I continued my assault on the tank. With only an occasional attack to deter both Jane and Mike I pushed back the tank till he was back next to the main body of the guild.

Mike came behind me and tried to stop me. I blocked his rapier with one sword and stabbed into his gut with his own saber. I tore it out of him and slashed downward with my blade. He took massive damage and dropped back. Jane kept me occupied for a moment, I brought both swords down hard to knock her back. I had put ten feet of distance between me and the tired Reese. I ran at him, he leveled his sword and put up his shield. Instead of ramming him again with both blades I jumped. We were both surprised. I stepped onto his shield and jumped off it.

I landed in front of the rest of the guild, Jack was about to stab into Red, when I did. I rose and took the spear jab, a full foot of digital steel passed cleanly through me. The pounding rain seemed to slow and waiver. The storm was coming to an end. "I said don't," I bring both blades up and send Jack flying. "Interfere." The rain stops as I step towards the guild.

And the perpetual night on the floor gets darker as both blades glow. I have no idea what special this was, but I was already charging into the guild. I'm like a storm, I spin and slash and bash away at the guild relentlessly. A total of thirteen hits, a long special that devastated the guild. It had a ten second action pause. But it was done, the guild was a mess. "Sol!" I turn to see Mike rush at me, and I give him back his saber. It cuts through the air and stabs into him, a perfect throw, he falls back.

"B...B-bastard!" He collapses. I continue to act my part.

"Ooh look at that. You broke your wings." I walk among the downed guild members. "Hey." Jane is coming. Reese looks done for. With my offensive capabilities halved this would be a pretty close match up. We circle around each other. Any second now. I could see it, I would take down Reese with minimal trouble from Jane, and then it would be over, for now. Reese stopped, its time. I lunge forward, I aimed right for the center of his shield. Thing was, he collapsed. Jane was behind him, and she unleashed a barrage of ten knives.

They hit hard, I stumbled forward and dropped to my knees. My sword clattered to the ground. I was breathing heavily from the last few minutes. Jane steps up to me. Her knuckles are white as she grips her dagger. I have to continue my part. "Have a message you want me to take to Laura and the others?" I asked with a smile.

She raised her dagger high, ready to deliver a killing special. But she hesitates, she turns away from me. I chuckle. "Weak..."

"Full retreat." She says, she was probably the most tired person out of her whole group.

"Where are you going? Aren't you going to end this once and for all?" She kept walking away. I stood with my sword at the ready.

"...Are you okay Mike." She tipped the contents of a potion into Mike's mouth and moments later pulled out the saber stuck in him. She turned to look at me, "Withdraw."

They disappeared into nine columns of light. "..." My facade drops, I feel sick with myself. I totter. I drop to my hands and knees.

The rain stopped, but drops of rain keep falling. I stare down at the ground as my own personal rain continues. That regrettable warmth that keeps welling up. I hear distant voices. But the one I hear loud and clear is the Angel. That wasn't nearly as satisfying as I want it to be. He receded for now, but I know that he could come back and pry at my willpower. He could win, all he had to do was attack.

The distant voices grew closer. But I ignore them because of my self-loathing. _You would have killed them. _I would have._ You were ready to stab Jane in the heart and tear her to pieces._ I was about to do that. _And now do you think you deserve to have friends. You murderous monster, abomination. Devil._ I feel the corners of my mouth turn upwards. More like Angel.

The voices sound so close now. I look forward and see a hand offered to me. I am nothing but a bloody killer. I'll drag them all down with me. I am, "Disgusting..." I slap the hand away.

There was a sharp sound, as if the tension in the air amplified that sound. I stand and look at her, at Red. My face an impassive mask. "Leave me alone Red." I turn, my steps lurch me one way then another. I go four or five more steps before collapsing. I reached forward, trying to crawl away. Then I'm back to my personal hell.

I see a few things, rough shapes of people. Slurred voices. "Hold him down..."

Then I only see shattering. I open my eyes wide. No...not again. "STOP!" Laura is being tore apart.

"STOP!" I can't move, the chains hold me down. The Angel sits on a stone a few feet away.

"BASTARD!" I call to him as he tugs on the chains. _Shut it, You are of no use._ My eyes felt unnaturally warm. Then I feel the tears start to pour down the right side of my face. I couldn't even feel the left side of my face, the Angel's chains covered that side of me.

Laura is torn apart, her avatar shatters into data. And she died just like that. "NOO!" I want to reach, to go with her. To not be a good for nothing that couldn't save a single person. Burt charges in. "...Don't..." I say, my voice barely audible. His arm gets severed first. "..." I don't breathe, I just watch as Burt is beheaded.

"STOPPPPP!" I try to break the chains, to escape, no matter the cost. I raise my head strain with every last bit of strength I have. Eld stands behind the mini-boss. It shatters after a moment. ""ELD!" I seethe with anger. I will kill him. "ELD!" I thrash with renewed vigor.

"BASTARD! I'll KILL YOU!" I was able to lift the top of my body off from the floor. John ran past me and towards Eld. "STOP!" I strain and manage to sit up, Eld knocked away John's weapon and floored him. His mouth moved, his offer. A deal to the devil for my soul. The chains tightened and I was pinned back down. A look of sheer disgust and sorrow on my face. I bite my lip, was that blood that welled up?

_You know my price._ He was smiling as he extended his offer to me. _All you had to do was kill your friend._ The Angel added and I was suddenly standing. Still chained but standing. I know the price. I feel the hot trail of tears flow and flow. The Angel went up to Ike. I couldn't close my eyes as he lifted John up. "I'm sorry..." John looks at me, not at the Angel but at me. "Do it. Murder me!" His voice changed into one of pure agony.

He's thrown through the air, and a Poltergeist shatters him. And the footsteps approach me from behind. Its all over. I have no where left to be. No one left to help me. I was alone, all alone. I had to act the part. I had to. Amidst the tears. I started to laugh. A laugh mingled with pure agony and sorrow. "I...I KILLED THEM!"

The laugh welled out of me. Straight from the hurt. "HAHHAAAAHAHHAA!" Eld looked a lot like the Angel now, both were dark figures who would take and use me. I succumbed to the darkness. Letting it drag me under the tumultuous waves into the calm underneath.

"Ah..." I shuddered before waking. I sat up in my bed. I couldn't remember what happened, or where I had been. I felt weak, but that was probably just in my head. I got out of bed and felt sore all over.

I shake my head and go to the door. I hear voices downstairs. I hesitantly go to my dining room. Red, Sid, and E-stone are there. They looked exhausted. I leaned against the wall, unsure of what to say. But I don't hesitate for long. "Hey." I said almost meekly. The look they gave me seemed strange, or it might have been my imagination since it quickly disappeared. "Ah, your up." E-stone said as he stood.

"Yeah, I can't remember what exactly happened. And I have the mother of all headaches." I took shuffling steps. Red stood and helped me take the last few steps to the table. They seemed uncomfortable around me, as if they had learned something unpleasant. I couldn't imagine what though. "Well its nice to see you up and about so soon." I nod to Sid, he looked exactly the same as the last time I saw him.

"I don't even know how long I've been out." Red told me. "A full day." I let out a sigh. "Another day lost..." I wince as a blinding pain starts behind my right eye. "You alright?" Red asked as she put a hand on my shoulder. "Y-yeah." A blatant lie.

My head hurt a lot. We talked for a bit, and E-stone finally told me the reason he had come around. "We found the boss." My blood chilled. "Or rather the boss room." What did he mean by that. "And it looks like we're nowhere near ready to take it on." The atmosphere turned grave then.

"I see..." I took a shuddering breath as something flashed across my vision. I tried to suppress whatever it was and keep a straight face. "Well you can count on me Goldilocks." He smiled. "I forgot how much I hate that name." I give him a grin. "Don't worry––" A message appeared.

It was from Gaia. The subject line made me very grave. _Eld_. I opened it quickly. _Found him, he's here on the Twenty-fifth tier. He's up to something, I'll investigate._ I grimace and rapidly sent her a message, trying to call her off. I double checked the map data I received. Its a little known dungeon. Not many people have explored it. "Sorry about that, let me make something." I prepared a meal for us. Sid and E-stone hungrily devoured up the meal while Red seemed to have retained her manners.

I smiled, my headache eased. Then I look down, my smile turns into a frown. "Hey." They look up from eating. "Can I ask why you guys looked funny at me earlier?" The room seemed charged, a powder keg waiting to go off. "W-we didn't." Red defended. "And she proves my point." They seemed tense, I have only seen them like this during a boss fight.

E-stone gathered his grit, "Its about––" I received another message. I left it, "Continue." E-stone seemed at a loss for words at my sudden change. I was mimicking Jane's coldness as best I could. "We...were here..." "Speak up." He glared at me. "We were here when you started talking." I felt an icy chill down my back. "Sid and I held you down through your nightmare." Bits of images flashed through my mind. "And we heard you yell, and the things you said and things you did." My vision blurred.

"Oh that." I stand. They gave me a look of concern. "Its of little matter, don't worry about it." "Don't worry about it!?" Red exclaimed. I gave her an icy look. "Its of no concern to you. Its my problem and I'll handle it." She opened her mouth as if she were about to reply immediately. But she stopped herself. She seemed to consider her words.

"Yesterday, you were attacked by nine players." My head hurt. It was different than before. The images hurt more. "Me and Wayland rushed over to help you and you know what you did?" My head was throbbing with pain. Especially behind my right eye. It felt as if someone stuck a hot poker behind it.

"You told us, no you ordered us not to fight." That memory floated up, along with others. "You knocked us out of the fight and fought alone. You rushed the leader and let yourself get hurt terrible. And then you changed." I felt something sickening in my stomach. My very being disgusted me.

"And after you changed you were terrifying. You scared us. Even so we rushed to you, we fought the majority of the players to try and help you." No more. No more. "And when I was about to take a nasty hit you jumped out of nowhere and took it. You unleashed a special I've never seen before and knocked most of them down. And then you were down. That girl was about to end you, and you just kept antagonized her. And when they left you seemed to give up." Those regrettable tears welled up from me.

"Now tell me we aren't suppose to get worried and get involved!" I grit my teeth, I look at her. "It–––" Messages appeared one after another. "Hey, we're talking!" Red made towards, but stopped when she saw the look I had. Gaia's first message was just a report that the dungeon was full of PKers. The next two messages sent chills down my back. _Eld is here, he's doing something. I'm getting closer. They suspect something. I might get in a lot of trouble soon._ The one after that made my worries a reality. _Help_. That was it. Then it was a picture. An image of Gaia tied and on her side. Under that there was a voice recording.

I hesitantly pressed play. "Its so nice to hear from you Sol." Eld. Eld! "Now I know what your thinking boy, calm down." He laughed. "I would like to play a game, how about it, care to gamble for your friend's life. Oh wait, I forget you already do that. I have to ask how are your buddies, I mean the ones you didn't kill." The images solidified in my mind, death. Constant scenes from the death of my friends and other players. "But I digress, though I have to ask how is your lady in Red. Last I heard she was taking care of you after that last assassination attempt." I remembered it so clearly now.

It came to the forefront of my mind and jabbed into my eye, tears were ready to come in rivulets. "Oh wait I'm sorry, she was sitting to your right and across from her was the merchant from Bazaar, Sid was it." My eyes opened wide. "And next to him was a good old acquaintance, E-stone how have you been. Do all those players you lead to their deaths still haunt you? Again I should get on with this." His tone changed. I turned to them. "Get dow––" "This is the first round, come to me, no matter the cost!"

My windows shattered and a torrent of arrows and knives flew in. The others managed to hide behind my table. It was reduced to polygons moments later but the barrage had ended already. "No one can interfere other than those in the room with you. Well, you know the or else bit. Or do I need to remind you." In the background I heard a lot of muffled cries and exclamation. "Hurry hurry, her health bar isn't eternal." "Don't So––" I barged out the door as a dozen columns of light disappeared.

"Damn it!" I grabbed a teleport crystal and went to Lumen. There I equipped my gear. I tentatively touched the sword, the one Jane had given me as the Black Rose. Please, help me. Footsteps came from behind me. "Wait up!" Red grabbed my wrist, I pulled away a moment later. "Don't interfere." I went out onto the field and sprinted. Voices called to me. I didn't stop. And for that I got knocked down by an Imp. The hoard swarmed me. I spat, "Don't mess with me!" I threw the Imp into its comrades and let loose on them. I didn't stop then either, I continued towards the dungeon. "Dammit!" Someone punched me hard enough to knock me down. I rubbed my chin. E-stone stood before me. "Calm down." He ordered.

I made to stand up. "You can't just go in without a plan." "I have one." "Yeah right." I grimace. "I am going into that dungeon. And nothing will stop me." He still stood in my way. "Let us help at least." I finally noticed Red and an out of breath Sid. "...Fine."

The entrance to the dungeon was a cave mouth covered in frost. Two of Eld's PKers stood on guard duty. "We split up, Red go right, Sol the left. Me and Sid go straight." We broke off and assaulted the two sentries. They were knocked out in moments. The cave blew out icy air. "Ready." I linked up with Red and we descended. Gaia was right, the Pkers were almost as numerous as the hordes.

"Eld has been doing some recruiting." I lifted up a PKer. "So where is Eld?" He struggled for a moment. "Ah, its brother Sol. The General has been waiting for you. He sends his warmest regards." He then kicked me and chugged something. He doubled over as a poisoned status appeared. He shattered moments later.

"W-what." We stood shocked amongst the unconscious PKers. "Don't dwell on it." Was all I said. They looked reluctant to move forward.

We continued inwards. The dungeon was a marvel. Sometimes we would come across paths that were split by a chasm. Then we'd have to find an icy boulder covering the source of water. They water blasted out and froze, an icy bridge for us to cross. But that was the least of the issues. The PKers were remorseless. They attacked with such ferocity that it was by sheer luck we didn't get over taken. We finally made it to the second level of the dungeon. I had hope that Gaia was still alright. The monsters of the dungeon were docile enough, except that the PKers often antagonized them to no end and made them highly confrontational.

"AHH!" I stabbed a dragon in the pulsating gem on its chest. It shattered moments later as I was dealing with two more. We took a small breather to heal up. "Sol..." Red called to me as I stared at my hand. I turned away from her and went over to a pillar of stone. I brought out the image of me and the guild. I smiled a bit as I saw something that will never happen again.

"Sol." Red was close now. I put away the image and turn to her. "You ready to move on?" She hesitated.

"Are you alright? Eld kept goading you on and now your friend is..." I walk past her.

"It doesn't matter if I'm alright. As long as I can lift my sword and move I have to fight on. Eld," Images flashed before my eyes of the PKer. "Gene Lockeless." I remember the time he talked with Cooper, he didn't seem evil then.

"And even this game and its players." I remember my friends, how they vowed to kill me. And then I remember how Wayland was, shellshocked. And then how I had failed to save the three people with me, and Caesar's friends, and who knows how many others.

And those PKers, Eld's guild, and my other half, the Angel. "They won't stop, so neither will I." The others followed me as I lead the way into the dungeon. They seemed eerily quiet. We entered a safe room, it was stadium sized. I felt someone stare daggers at me. I clenched and unclenched my hands. In one swift second I blocked a sudden attack from my flank. A PKer had jumped down from the icicles above. "Rematch!" He yelled. "Oh hell." I shoved him back, Deg the deranged. He was one of Eld's personal acquaintances. "Oh its the neophyte murder!" He yelled.

I felt an uncontrollable rage build. I was about to charge in when a hand caught mine. I turned, something burning in me. "Together." Red said as she drew her blade. A rapier. It glowed lightly with a certain sky blue color. I had never noticed.

"Fine. Together." Deg took a cautious step back. "Alright boys." More PKers dropped down around him. Ten in all. I knew what we were all thinking. We should escape. "Strife! Advance." They formed into a wedge shaped formation. And they came at us, Deg at the very front. Deg actually broke away from his group and charged at me specifically.

I blocked his thrust and Red slashed his side. He leapt back a bit. "I see you have yourself a new lady. I have to say that you just keep getting the latest models. The one we have and the one you had first just don't compare to your scarlet wh––" I lunged forward and punched him hard.

He stabbed upwards into my ribs. I buried my sword in his gut and lifted him up by his armor. "HAAA!" His men yelled as they charged. With only E-stone and Sid running interference we'd be overrun for sure. "Hey!" My two allies looked over at me and made some room.

I hurled Deg as far and as fast as I could. He knocked down three of his PKers before crashing into a pillar of ice. I was unarmed now. But that didn't stop me from shoving past Sid and E-stone. I charged the ten PKers without even bothering to check if I had backup. Thing was I had long since felt my control slip, the Angel was vying for my body. And that's why they probably faltered as I got close. The nearest two barely grazed me with their weapons when I clotheslined them.

They fell flat onto their backs, dazed. And I worked through the ten PKers. A dagger user lunged at me. I caught him by his wrist and threw him wide off target, then I slammed my elbow back into his face repeatedly before jabbing his knife, which he still held, into his own throat. He fell down spluttering. I turned to see a spear user charge me. I turned and grabbed his weapon, I tugged it out of his hands and spun it overhead to slam it hard into his head. He clutched his temple until I buried his own spear into him.

Then I was blindsided by a shield and sword user. He thrusted at me constantly, I just stepped back until I could get in close and grip the edges of his shield. I twist it to were he had to strain against the chance of breaking his arm. I heard footsteps behind me. I sidestepped and let an axe wielder smash into his ally. They both landed in a pile. And in that brief lapse of concentration someone jumped onto my back and put a sword to my throat. I gripped his hand and reached behind me.

I flipped him off my back and watched him groan at the hard impact. I picked up his sword, a short sword. Another sword user came at me, I twist his arm and liberate him of his sword to impale him in the back. He stumbles forward and lands on top of the other sword user. Now I had two swords in my hands again. The Angel threatened to rest control from me completely. And that was dangerous. But with twin swords like this, I felt oddly at ease. I was using a dual sword style different than when usually wielding two weapons. Usually it was that both weapons were used with an individual style, but that's not the case with swords. I had briefly looked at the dual sword skill I had used against the White Wings, it was called _Tempest_. I watched as the ten PKers retreated and reorganized. "Your insane." E-stone said as he joined my side.

The Angel receded for now. "Oh, were you guys here too?" He gawked at me. Then he shook his head as if to clear it. "Sol, what happened to working together?" Red joined my side as well as Sid. "Its that idiot, he really got on my nerves."

I swung both swords experimentally. "Lightweight, crude, dull." I concentrated on my enemy. "But its more than enough to deal with little nothings like you idiots." They reequipped weapons and formed up again. "E-stone, Sid." They grunt, "Cover my flanks." They take up positions.

"This feels strange, being on the receiving end of orders." I chuckle. "Want to be my partner for this Red?" "Its been a while since we four fought together." Sid said as Red joined me in the center. "...You know they should make a movie out of this." E-stone laughed.

"Maybe we can talk something over later. First we have to get out of this game as fast as possible." We steadied ourselves. Any minute now the pin will drop. "Hey you moth––" Deg barged through his group and pointed my sword at me. "Don't just stand there idiots, get them!" And here we go. "He's mine." I lunge forward, Red not to far behind me.

I hacked madly away at my opponents. The two swords were deadly, "Get back." I yelled over my shoulder. Red did just that as I unleashed Tempest. A blinding torrent of thirteen consecutive hits took many of them out of the fight. Sid swung his axe and knocked away Deg as he charged me. He cursed loudly as we regrouped. "Keep the others busy, I'm ending this." Deg stood and wiped some spittle away from his cheek. "Be careful Sol." Red said to me before she charged the PKers. "Its just the four of us now." Deg grinned as his two personal bodyguards joined him.

"Yeah." I gauged the distance and pulled a gutsy move. I ran towards them as the two PKers charged, their blades glowed a light blue. I threw both weapons. It caught them so off guard that they didn't even try to avoid them.

Upon impact they fell back ten feet at least. I threw my arms wide, "You son of––" Deg lunged forward. My sword glowed as he launched a special. I stop and stand still, "Don't underestimate me!" He yelled as he crossed the last of the distance to me. I closed my eyes.

"What are you doing?!" The Angel lifted me up by the front of my shirt. I glared down at him. "I have a plan, and I need to use you up now." He bristled.

"You sorry excuse for a––" I knocked him down, then I began to stomp on his head. "I don't care about you." I lifted him and our roles were reversed. "I don't care about myself." He spat up a little blood and grinned at me. "Now that's something I can work with."

"DIE!" Deg had lost it. He stabbed into my gut and lifted me high up, dealing massive damage. Red light cascaded in all directions. I felt myself slip. I was losing a hold on myself...I was gone. Deg flicks me off the blade and marches towards my body. He begins slashing madly at me, "DIE!" He really wanted to kill me.

He lifted the sword up once more and prepared to deliver a finisher, a final strike. I caught the blade as it sliced through the air. Glaring up at Deg I grinned. "..." Deg fought to pry the sword from my grip as he bucked wildly. I punched him hard and freed my weapon from him. He backpedaled away from me and brought out his knife. The look of fear that was plastered to his face made me want to chuckle.

The Angel was here. "W-what's wrong with you!?" He yelled at me as I came at him. My sword impaled him to the ground and I plucked his knife from him. I tore my blade up and out to slash him from his sternum to his shoulder. He cringed as his health bar diminished. I threw his knife over my shoulder. "S-stop!" He seemed to command me. "Your one of the good guys, you don't kill us!" I gripped his neck hard, hard enough to make him gasp.

Considering that the system blocked a lot of pain and discomfort for us this was pretty hard. I lifted and held him up. I saw that his feet kicked out madly. He was suffocating, his throat was being crushed. "..Do–––" I stab into him. My blade pierces through his light armor and all the way up to the hilt. Then I bring it out and do it again, and again. He clawed a me, my face and eyes, trying to pry free.

Nothing worked. Nothing. Finally I heard voices. "Sol!" A female voice was the loudest. I blinked away the Angel's fog and let Deg drop. His health was red. I step back a bit. I hoped the Angel had used up as much of its influence as it could, I wasn't going to have it prevent Gaia from being saved. I take a deep breath, a shudder passing through my entire body. A hand gripped my shoulder, hard. And next a knife was at my throat. "About time." Eld said into my ear.

How did he, "I have to say that you certainly know how to put on a good show." He turns me around roughly, making me face my friends. "Hello company, oh so nice to see all these familiar faces." We were at an impasse. But since this was Eld it was probably more like a dead end, mine.

"Oh look at little Red riding hood. All grown up from that little mute on the first tier. How have you been darling?" She grimaced. "I feel horrible right now, maybe cutting off that smug grin of yours will make me feel better." Eld cackled. "Now now, temper temper. I do have your little boy toy here at my mercy." I gripped the hilt of my sword hard, could I afford to take any damage?

No, I'd die before long like this. Eld gripped the blade of my sword and tugged. I let go reluctantly. He tossed it a few feet away. "Now then, what to do? Any ideas, my protege?" I wanted to turn and strangle him. "I am nothing like you." Even as I said that through clenched teeth I had my doubts. "Oh come off your high horse. You know your just like me. After all doesn't this scene in front of you remind you of that time?" My vision blurred. My breathing became sluggish.

I was going to lose it soon. He called over my shoulder, to my comrades, my friends. "Didn't he tell you. He nearly broke apart an entire guild singlehandedly. I spared him that chore though, a beginner should start small after all." I felt the blood rush out of me. Not again, not that moment again. "He only killed off about a fourth of them. Still that's pretty impressive." I felt tears stream down one side of my face.

"Tell me, how are his nightmares? How many times did he plead for their lives." I gave, my knees couldn't support my own weight. Eld let me drop, he planted his foot onto my back. "Y-you monster." Someone said horrified. I could see that moment so many times. So many deaths. "Ha...ah... ...haa" Eld tried to stifle his laugh and failed. "Exactly." He rapped lightly on the back of my head. "Tell us, how did it feel? Watching Amethyst get torn in two. Burrs losing his arm and then his head." I felt my sorrow reach its capacity, I'd shut down soon. "Or how about Ike, staring you in the face defiantly, his girlfriend dead along with one of his friends. Tell me, how did it feel throwing him to that monster so that he'd die." My mind dully registered these words as the real damage came in deep stabs of pain and the memory.

"Oh to bad that they lost all their health. Now those people are dead. Laura." My breath caught in my throat. "Burt." He knew. He knew their names. "And of course John." He knew their names, but he couldn't. Not their real names. "Tell me Thomas, how did it feel?" In that moment I snapped.

The pain in my head and heart to much. No one was suppose to know my name, none but the friends trying to kill me. "AAAHHHHHHHHH!" I cried out. "Hahahahahha hahahha hahahaha!" Eld laughed at my torment. My voice faltered and failed. The long scream of my sorrow dried up surprisingly quick.

I had used up every last bit of my strength for my death throes. Eld kicked me and I was on the ground completely. I was done for. I was dead now. "Ah. Nothing like breaking a player to make one feel refreshed." Someone took shuffling steps behind Eld.

"Eld...can I kill him now?" Deg, of course. "No my rider. We need him to become my successor. But his friends are free meat." Deg laughed. He took two steps around me then stopped. "You know I heard she cried. Something terrible, but she held strong, she knew you were coming to rescue her." Something clicked in me. Something that I didn't know clicked.

"Back so soon." The Angel asked, a bit out of breath. "I'm not done resting, deal with it yourself." I didn't know why I'm here. Why would I come to speak with him of all people. He covered up that immense sorrow and loneliness with a violent layer. He was a monster down to his core like this.

"Are you just here to escape? Coward, you know that right Thomas?" I bow my head and nod. "Of course you do. Such a useless person." He chuckled as if he made a joke. "So what now, are you going to curl up and die now?" I nod and fall to my knees. He took shuffling steps over to me.

"Of course you are. Isn't that what you've always done?" I nod again. He lifted me up an scowled at me. "Pathetic, you don't do their memory justice." Memory...

"Those three would be disappointed seeing you like this." Those three...but...they're dead.

"They gave their lives for you and the others. You weak, spineless worm. You can't even stand up to a memory." He was right. Something came back to me.

"W-who are you?" The Angel grinned. Thomas you should know by now." He let me drop and sat on his throne. "I am Sol..." And it all made sense now. I stood shakily. "I...I..." He smiled at me as tears welled up from my eyes, both of them now.

"Go die Thomas." I was going to do that. "No." I stood defiantly. "I need to use you." Sol laughed. He smiled warmly at me. "Oh really." "Yes, you are Sol and I am Thomas. We are one and the same." I took a step towards him.

"Really?" "Yes, and we are not like this." I reached towards him. "We are not we, I am just one person and mind." His eyes softened. "That's exactly right." He began to fade slowly. But he wasn't disappearing, he was returning to his rightful place in my mind. He was a part of me.

"Your right." Cooper said as he put a hand on my shoulder. "He's just you. You as you were, broken, scarred, afraid. All those things were you. And you couldn't handle it all and he was made."

"Thanks Cooper." He's gone just like that. I step towards the me that had broken in this game. The me I would never be again. "Sol. You are me." He smiled and we shook hands. "I am you Thomas, never forget that. Never forget you are not alone." He turned into a sword. I feel...whole...

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Deg was just two feet away when I moved. I covered the distance to my blade faster than anyone realized. I stepped hard on the hilt of the weapon and caught it spinning. "What the––" Deg was interrupted mid-sentence as I slashed him across the face. He collapsed easily as I faced Eld.

"I am Sol. And I am going to stop you Eld." I said this with a conviction I didn't think I had after losing my friends. He tsked. "Nice to have you back, I'll be waiting for you at the bottom." Eld turned and headed towards the door. "She'll be glad to hear this." He said before leaving. I sheathed my weapon and stared hard at the door. "He's gone..." I collapsed shortly there after.

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"Uh..." Someone mumbled something. "Sol...Sol..." I sat up. "Quiet please, my head hurts." I rubbed my temples, though something very heavy seemed to have disappear from my conscience. I no longer felt the Angel, and the feeling of loss I had was minimized as well. Still I felt tears, some wounds will always hurt. I covered my face with my hand and indulged myself in grief.

But that was quick. I sprang to my feet and tottered. "Easy there." Red said as she steadied me. "Thank you." I said, remembering all she did for me while I was not thinking straight. I doubt she picked up on all of it, but she might have felt it. She helped me over to a wall were I gracelessly slid down.

"Sol!" "Shh. I felt as if I just had my head crushed, give me a moment." Slowly the ache dulled and lethargy set in. But I had a duty to do. I lean on the wall as I stand. "Wait, you need to rest." I grimace. "There will be time after this. Right now," I put a hand on my sword hilt. As if to make the decision for me, seven PKers barge through the door. "There, get them. Eld has ordered that they not make it to him!" They charged.

"Damn." My friends looked weary. I can only guess at the strain they were under. I step forward. "Red, you have my back." There was a pause. She punched my shoulder roughly before standing next to me. "Always." She drew her rapier. My sword looked a bit worn compared to hers. But considering the rough time its had I can see why. I take the first step, and Red matches me.

The seven PKers were dangerous, of course they were. But I felt little fear, with my back pressed against hers most of the time I almost could have enjoyed this. This was what I had been missing all along, and the Angel's words ring in me. _Not alone._ I kick away a PKer and leap forward. The gap in the loose ring they made around us was enough. I used _Sky_ _Dance_ to completely destroy their formation. We break through and defeat them. I pass out a few healing draughts. After the shattering effect was done on the bottles I marched to the door.

"Wait up." The others seemed a bit sluggish. They were tired. I was to, but I refused to let it show. I refused to.

And with that I lead them deeper into the dungeon, past hordes of frost trolls and icy dragons. Through groups of PKers. And into the depths of the seventh basement floor. The door at the end of this dungeon seemed strange. Not a boss door with its black coloring and rose motif, but a white door with snakes carved into it. "Ready." E-stone said next to me and we pushed through.

Eld of course was waiting. We crossed the bridge to get to the transparent platform. Upon further inspection I realized it was ice, very slippery ice. Eld clapped and five PKers stood in front of him. Blue was standing on his right. "Welcome. About time you arrived." We tensed for a fight, but surprisingly enough we didn't get one.

"Go on boys." Eld clapped his hands together and his PKers teleported away. Blue bowed before disappearing. I took a step towards Eld with my sword out. "No no no. I still have a hostage." Eld held up a throwing knife and pointed behind him. Gaia was standing precariously near the edge. "All I want is to talk Sol." I hesitated before taking a few steps towards him.

We regard each other for a moment. "So I have to ask, how is working with normal people and not your murderous kind?" I kept my expression flat. Eld smiled. "Come on give me something Sol. Aren't you going to humor me?" My silence was his answer. "Damn it, all that hard work molding you just went down the drain, didn't it? Ah well, I guess we can start from square one again." He took three steps back before turning to Gaia. "He's here, just like I wanted. I guess you can go." I was tense as Eld took those final steps to her. This was to easy.

"Yes, square one all over again." It happened in a moment. Gaia was thrown back into the darkness and Eld's knife came at me. It missed me by three feet and struck behind me.

The platform shook. "ELD!" I was prepared to lunge forward when I noticed the cracks at my feet. "No, Sol you had best calm down. Right now, if you dash towards me you'll kill off your comrades behind you." I turn and saw the web of cracks under them.

"Sol. I'll ask you this only once." He walked towards me, the rope in his hand taut. "Remember my offer last time." I blanched, my vision became very bleary. "Kill off the few for the good of the many." Eld held out a hand to me.

"Will you take up my offer again. Will you kill your comrade for the sake of the three friends behind you. Will you!?" I hesitated. And he took it as an answer. "I expect that you know what this means." And he let go of the rope.


	8. Phase 07

**A/N––I have felt I might have been neglecting Sol's interactions with Red. And so to mark the precursor of the final Dæmonica adventure, the reason for the end, I give you this chapter. With Dæmonica more or less a quarter of the way through I've decided to give some background to the ending I have envision. To mark the start of how they would be bound together. This is the Red rose, the budding. Then the blooming, and finally, the withering that augurs the dying. This is setting up for some plot ties, and now to stop with any unintentional spoiling here you are, with Red mostly in the last half.**

Phase 07 Red rose: Budding

"No." I shoved past him and ran. The rope was going to disappear over the edge. Not again. Burt, Laura, and John flashed through my vision. "Not again!" I threw myself forward and caught the rope. With my sword I stopped sliding.

The cracks in the platform increased. Gaia's weight tugged at me, if it wasn't for my sword I would have plunged over the edge with her. "Sol!" I looked. Eld's boot slammed into my sword, freeing it from the ice. He kicked me with such force that I slid back again, back to the edge.

My sword spun in the dark void next to me before disappearing. I clutched the very edge, the literal inches at the edges of the platform. I strained, and the platform had more cracks on it. "Eld!" Red was about to head over to him, to fight and send both of them to their doom. But Eld stopped her. He held a throwing knife. "Move and your little boyfriend takes a plunge. One he won't walk away from." She hesitated and backed off.

Eld laughed. "Really, I expected more from you Sol. You were my successor after all. I wanted you to make that same choice again. Or even the alternative. But this isn't what I was expecting at all." He shook his head. "Move away from the bridge. I'm done here."

My friends hesitated. Eld left two teleport stones on the platform. They seemed strange, very peculiar. "These gems are linked together, use one to get to the location of the second." Eld explained. I heard of these items, very rare and pricey. They were multipurpose items. Escapes, ambushes, returning to a point in a dungeon. The uses were numerous. And Eld was leaving one set right here. What was he planning. My friends hadn't budged yet.

"Move." Eld stomped his foot down once and the cracks spread farther. Red hesitated before moving asides. Then E-stone and Sid followed. "Good." Eld kept the throwing knife in hand as he made the slow crossing over to the white door. "Silvermane." A shape stood from the arch over the doorway. She must have had a hiding skill on an incomparable level.

She dropped and I saw a flash. It happened all so slowly. The arrow left the bow and cleaved through air, my friends moved to intercept. Sid was to slow, E-stone's sword missed it by a few millimeters. Red got a small cut on the cheek as she tried to block. But one thing was for certain, it was heading to me. The arrow dipped down and struck the ice. I heard a crack. "N––" The word wasn't even out of Red's mouth when the ice broke and I plummeted. I remember the shock. I was going to die, I was going to die now!

I reached for the platform, even as the game's gravity, no, the abyss sucked me down. Red peered over the edge, flat on her stomach and reached down for me. She caught my fingers. We strained for a moment. And I felt my fingers slip a bit from her grasp. I closed my eyes shut for a moment, think, think god damn it! I heard more cracking. I looked and saw the ice under Red crack. "...Let go." She gasped and gripped the edge of the platform hard as she tried to lift me up.

"You heard me Red...Let go."

"Shut up!" More cracking.

E-stone was slowly advancing towards us. He stopped when he saw the sheer volume of cracks. He shuddered and then went still. He bent down and grabbed something. "Let me go..." Even though I said that, I was reluctant to lose my grip on her hand. "Please..." The ice seemed to give a bit as shards tumbled down. "RED!" And like that I let go.

My fingers slip from her grasp and its just like a dream. I can only look up at her as I fall...and fall... and fall. I close my eyes, I can't face death head on as I am. "SOL!" I open my eyes, E-stone had a plan. He chucked something over the edge, it glowed slightly, blue. And I felt the tug of the rope holding Gaia. I knew what I had to do. The gem was falling faster than me. I reached out with one hand. My fingers curled around it and I flipped myself in midair. Gaia was listlessly falling towards the dark. I streamlined my body and dove for her.

Not now, not now. I refuse to lose anyone now. I caught her and we tumbled for a moment. She was unconscious, and that made the task of closing her hand over the gem easier. I let her go as she teleported away, the platform was already so distant. Nothing more for me to do now. I saw a faint glow from the platform, Gaia no doubt. I smile, and I find myself oddly at peace. I tumble and twist in midair. I start thinking. Was I really content with this. _No you aren't_. That voice. I could picture his masked face coming from the shadows. A finger to his lip telling me to keep quiet. Eld! I grit my teeth. Like hell would I roll over and die, especially with that bastard on the lose. I right myself and face the dark. I search my belt, I had to have a teleport stone ready. I always did. I found the pouch on my belt, and found it empty. Eld somehow did it, I just knew. I scanned the dark, anything to stop my rapid descent, anything. I would crawl from the abyss if I had to, but I'd find a way. As the wind whistled I finally saw it, a light. It slowly grew, red hot magma. A cage of ice in the center of the lake. A long thin spire jutting from the very top. I knew what I had to do.

I dove for it. It was very thin. If I could only grip it. I see my chance an grip the icy spire. My hand burned. It burned as I raced down the spire like a stone from the sky. I was barely slowing down. Only my health fell slower than me. I gripped the ice with all my strength, with all my will, with all my being! Finally the spire widened out and I slammed against the icy cage. I bounced once and coughed up something intangible. I fell back over to the abyss, though much slower now. I was going to lose it now, I was going to fall asleep and die.

A faint glimmer in the vast magma below caught my attention. "...Ha...hahahaha!" I reached for it, I zoomed down a bar of the icy cage and found the one piece that jutted out. I gripped the hilt of my sword hard and jerked to a halt. It was pretty worn down now. It probably didn't have much more durability to it, but I knew it would save me. Eventually when I regained a little more strength I gripped the bar of the cage and clung for dear life. With my sword piercing the icicle and my hand grasping it I was sure I'd stay put for now. I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the unrelenting heat below me and the blistering cold all over my body.

I dozed for mere minutes. Then the rumbling woke me. I open my eyes and stared at a, well, eye. It was a huge thing, had to be for the dragon it belonged to. That's right, a freaking dragon. I looked at it, it looked at me. Then the eye slowly closed, a sorrowful rumble came and shook me to my very core. The dragon was bent in on itself due to the cage being to small. Given that the Cage was easily about as wide as two football fields, about as tall as a ten story building, the dragon would be a god equivalent in this game.

But for now it slept, moaning out its sorrow as it was kept here. The head was close to me, a scale would have made a nice shield. But I wasn't greedy. I was compassionate, this was what the Angel personified in me. The very loneliness of being caged, with bars of ice as thick as trees, or bars of guilt and sin and regret. One type of prison over another the result was the same, despair. I petted the dragon on its head, it gave a cooing sound that was comparable to an earthquake. He's just as lonely as I was. My sword started to crack and I returned my hand to grip the bar of ice. The dragon look at me hard for a moment. Then it started to shift within its cage. Somewhere within the scaly, writhing mass I saw it. It glowed as bright as the sun. I vaguely made out its shape. A spear, a sword, a weapon no doubt. The dragon cooed again and the weapon aimed at me. "What–––" It tore into me. I was flung backwards from the cage.

The dragon looked at me sadly before turning away. I gave a small chuckle. That's how it was. I gripped my sword hard as I plummeted towards the magma, and the hell that lied below. I closed my eyes as the sword drove me downward. The pain absorption level was high enough that I only felt my body tingle uncomfortable. The red glow the pierced my eyelids foreshadowed my death. Of course, what else was there now. I had escaped death to many times, this was the last time. Right?

The rumbling came moments later, the very platform shook from the violence of the earthquake. The four people and one recently revived pet dropped to the floor as it continued. "W-what is that?" E-stone yelled as he looked through the platform. At the geyser of lava that came at them.

"We need to get out of here. NOW!" E-stone stumbled over to Red and carried her. Sid did the same for Gaia. The stopped short of the bridge as something caught their attention. A voice.

No, a roar.

A tower of lava erupted before them with waves of heat rolling off it. And from it a large, coiled, winged shape appeared. Its tail blocking the exit, its head made a new one as it opened its cavernous mouth. "N...No..." E-stone dropped to his knees as five health bars appeared. Red sat on the platform next to him. "Its over..." E-stone whispered. With his sword out he began to rise, he would go fighting.

But the mouth glowed red, fire was coming from deep within. The flames erupted upwards and licked at the ice above them. Causing steam to form and drift down. Making the dragon all the more menacing in appearance. The dragon concentrated on them with bloodshot eyes and sucked in a great breath. The steam disappeared into its nostrils. "Its the end right?" No one was willing to answer Red's question as she hugged her knees.

That's when it all changed. The dragon aborted its attack. It exhaled a warm breath and drooped its head low. It started to flicker, almost like a t.v would when its receiving a bad signal. The dragon just waited, and waited. And a whooshing could be heard. A hole appeared in one of its slightly furled wings. A golden being. A longsword in his left hand, gave off waves of light. While in the limp right hand was a green sword. Ivy curled off the blade to form the hilt. The figure's gray to white gear was tattered, his sword nearly broken.

"Sol?" The golden weapon flickered like the dragon. Sol pointed the golden blade at the dragon and then his glow faded completely. The weapon was flickering furiously now. "...Thank you." Sol seemed to say as the golden blade left his hand and stabbed into the chest of the beast. And then winked out of existence.

The dragon rumbled once before its body loosened and then started to fall back into the abyss. Its head slammed into the platform and knocked the four on it, back. Cracks spread like wildfire. And pieces of the platform fell with the dragon. But Sol remained in the air, his back to his friends. He sheathed his weapon and seemed to gently glide down. As his body descended three feet a message appeared in red.

ERROR

Sol plummeted under the game's normal gravity and smacked hard into the cracked platform. And he stayed there. Pieces of the platform fell from around him and finally a crack different from the others was heard. Red reacted, she was the only one who could. She dashed across the cracks and then tripped. She slid forward, then slightly off course. She recovered and crawled the rest of the distance to Sol. Just as his shard of the platform fell. And then it was that scene again. He was hanging over the darkness as Red clung to him. The platform continued to crack, and if she didn't let go soon she'd be going with him for a lethal fall. "Sol!" She yelled as her hand was cut by the ragged ice. "SOL!" He stirred.

He seemed to be out of it. "...Red..." "Sol, listen, we need to get out of here. I can't pull you up myself." Sol was quiet. "I...I can't move." He said after a moment. His health was relatively low. But that meant little, considering the hell he'd been through he was no doubt tired out of his mind. And right now he could not move. "Sol..." There was a definite crack, history was doomed to repeat itself, but there was no second chance this time around.

"KALOS!" A furry shape shot past Red and glided around. It bit into Sol's shoulder and helped heave him up. Together he was back on semi-solid ice. Red was able to drag him past the most dangerous part of the platform and Sid soon got him. They crossed the bridge and escaped back into the dungeon.

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I woke up in my bed. I was mentally sore all over. The kind of fatigue that you can only get in here. I was out of it. I rubbed my head and sat up. I was definitely back in my house. I stayed in my room for a moment, thoughts and memories shooting through my mind. _I did the right thing, didn't I Cooper?_ I don't know if him not answering was a sign or not. I stood and went downstairs. No one was here. I closed my eyes. No one was here. _You are not alone._ I grin a bit. That's right. I take a moment to reequip my gear before heading out. I had to go talk with the guild master about that boss.

"You up?!" E-stone said with obvious surprise. "Of course." I shuffle to him as he sits in a café. "What can you tell me about the boss?" He shook his head.

"Damn it all Sol." I leaned back in my seat as E-stone calmed.

"We lost three people soon after we stepped into the room. We barely pulled out before we lost anymore. The entire fiasco lasted about three minutes." To be killed off that fast. This boss must be incredible. "We've leveled up considerable. We're prepared for another assault."

"I'll be a damage dealer." E-stone gave me a serious look.

"Don't you get it, it slaughtered us. A sarcophagus with bandages streaming out of it, specializing in spear attack. It took us and would have wiped us if we'd stayed in a full five minutes." That was a scary notion. A wipe. I'd heard of a few but to have a clearing group wiped. That would be something far worse than any normal wipe.

"We're going to try it again tomorrow. I'm afraid we're far from prepared for it, but if you could spread your luck and miracles I'd much appreciate it." I nod. We ate quietly for a bit. "So, that thing you did yesterday. Jumping out of the abyss." I felt a bit strange. "Well it was a lot of luck really." I explained what I found down there.

"I think it was an event or quest that was locked when we were trapped in the system. Something tougher than a raid boss. Maybe even a campaign quest." E-stone nodded in agreement. We chatted a bit more. I paid for the food I'd eaten and rose to leave. "I can guess you'd rather not talk about what happened back there, but..." I kept my back to him. "Its my fault, no one else." I leave like that.

Whatever question or comfort E-stone was about to contribute would stay with him. I headed down to Sid's shop. I had to thank him personally. Afterwards we went to his private lounge and shared a nonalcoholic beverage. He already knew about my friends, my guild, so I explained it to him in full. He rose and stepped to me. He knocked me lightly on the back of the head. "Come on, stand up." I felt ashamed at myself, I stood with my head down.

"Its not your fault." He tells me. He hands me a bottle of drink. I thank him as I exit his lounge. "Sol...if you ever need to talk again. I'm not a priest, I can't give you absolution, but I'm here. So is Red." I wave at him over my shoulder as I exit his shop. I wipe a few tears from my eyes.

Recounting the story made me tear up. I then returned to the twenty-second tier. Something was long overdue here. I approached the entrance of the dungeon with something cold in the pit of my stomach. I go off to one side of it and drop to my knees. I kneel for a while like that, a silent vigil. The best I can do for the three friends I lost. I watch as my tears fall and wet the grass like dew. Today's just a crying day isn't it. I wipe away my tears one final time before I rise. I was determined. I couldn't bridge the gap with my old guild, but I could still fight for their sakes. If I ever were to die it would by their hands. Screw Eld and his PKers. I didn't owe them anything.

I stumbled across Red without trying to find her. After all she had done for me I wasn't mentally prepared to see her. But life has a funny and inconvenient way of making things happen. We met in Lumen, the stone tree cascading light down around us. It was an almost romantic like meeting. We were our own island as the crowds seemed to flow around us, allowing me to see her in full. "Sol?" I looked away, hoping not to blush.

She grabs my hand and leads me away, somewhere we could talk privately. We stood under an awning as the crowds of NPCs and players surged. We looked at the moving shapes and not each other. I had my reasons, but I wondered why she wouldn't look at me. We stayed like that in awkward silence for a bit longer. "Look Sol, about what happened––" She stopped abruptly. I didn't look at her. "I'm sorry Red." I said to fill the gap.

"Sorry?" I looked down at my feet for a moment. "Yeah, I'm sorry, and thank you as well." She was quiet. "You helped me while I was more or less broken, you looked out for me while I wasn't in the right state of mind." I remember my time as a fractured person, with the Angel hiding beneath my surface.

"And that's why I have to apologize and thank you." I turned a bit away from her. I was about to leave when I realized something, she still held my hand. "Sol..." Her grip tightened for a moment before slacking. "Come with me for a bit. I have something I'd like to show you.

Back in Mythril, tier seven. We were out in the field. Avoiding hordes as best we could. She lead the way through the _Glen_, the valley was rarely full of monsters. After safely crossing she took me through the twilight forest at the other end. After a long time we came to the end. The trees ended about twenty feet from the edge of our world. She stopped at the tree line. I kept walking. I stepped right up to the edge. Unfazed by how I was a single step from ending it all. After all I had been through this didn't hold any fear over me. It just made me all to aware of how fragile we were as human beings. "Why did you bring me here?" I ask while looking down.

"That's not what I wanted to show you." She stood next to me and unexpectedly held my hand. She made me take a few steps back. "Wait for it...Here it comes." She spread her arms wide, and looked out at the vast sky before us. The sun hung low in the sky, making everything gold, orange, and yellow.

Then I felt it, I watched as the gentlest of breezes wrapped around me. Pushing me back slightly. It felt so nice, like a hug or caress. This was a vista. A hidden vista of amazing beauty, though it could not compare to the one that held my ha–– I blushed deeply and looked slightly away from Red. Don't think about it. Don't you dare think about it. Never again, not ever again. After I calm my thoughts I let myself fall back.

The grass was soft and comfortable. I get comfortable and watched the sun on its course. Red sat and let her legs hang over the edge. I didn't know what to make of this. I might never know what to make of this. But with two amazing images set before my eyes I was content. I may not be completely together, but like this, something about the death game lost its edge. I dozed like this. And I never realized I was missing my sword since I woke up.

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I woke up and saw that the moon was directly in front of me. Red was a few feet away. Asleep. I rubbed the back of my hand and plucked a twig stuck to my hair. I looked around, I could see a few nocturnal monsters in the trees. With a sigh I stand. Red's still out of it. I scan around as a precaution before lifting her up. I carried her in my arms as I navigated the forest. I decided I'd give it a name. The forest at world's end. It seemed appropriate given what I had seen. A literal end, of this world, maybe even of the next one. If someone were to fall into the endless expanse called the sky of Dæmonica, looking up at Purgatory, would they be at peace?

I shook my head as Red stirred in my arms. I held her a bit tighter as we cleared the forest, back into the Glen. The monsters here were gone, we would be safe. It was then that I felt something missing from one side of my waist. I could tell the familiar scabbard was gone, so I was sword-less at the moment. I closed my eyes as a gentle breeze came from my back, from the forest and the edge of the world. I looked down at Red's sleeping face and felt something, it was different than anything I had ever felt before. The closest thing I had felt was when I had been together with Jane. But now this feeling washed over me with such intensity that I was frightened. I didn't know what to do.

Red was to much a...To much a what? A weakness, no she was strength. A hazard, never, she took care of me while I had been cracked in the head. Then what was it that made me feel like she shouldn't be near me. She shouldn't be this exposed. I searched around fiercely for a moment. I approached a lone tree and settled her against it. I needed to get stronger. Right there I made a promise I probably wouldn't be able to keep.

"I'll make sure you get out. Even if its the last thing I do."

I turned away from her sleeping form and operated my window. In my lack of attention my inventory had gotten pretty cluttered. But I found the two things that of importance. I selected both swords and closed out. The scabbards appeared at my side. Common drops, low stats but weighty. Perfect for what I was going to do. I drew both blades and thought. With a scabbard on either side of my hip I might be caught while drawing both at the same time. I sheathed them and thought. I closed my eyes and saw it take shape in my mind. I scanned over my styles list. In my current state I was able to see the twin sword style. There were a few different categories that might have held some promise but I saw it. A style that caught my attention. I looked it over and smiled. I closed my menu and reached for my swords. My left hand on the left sword, my right hand on the other. I pulled the swords out and held them backhand. The blades pointed down as I fully pulled them free.

The Wingblade style, the backhanded twin swords style that used speed to increase the impacts. Maintaining the same amount of damage per hit as the regular twin sword. But at a much faster pace. And the upside. In a second I had spun my blades and held them ready for the twin blade style. Easy mobility between the two. And between these two styles was another one that seemed to experimental and garish at best. With one sword held backhand and another held normally I was in the Vanguard style. I don't know why they chose a name like that for this style. But I'm sure that if I practiced with it I could begin to understand. I resumed Wingblade and began. I kicked up a gently gust as the two blades sliced through the air like claws. I moved fluidly through a combo attack, not a special though. I slashed forward and found that by pivoting on the ball of my right foot, the one that was forward, I could spin and stab my left sword into whatever was in front of me. And that's how it began.

I learned how to use Wingblade. I saw why it was called that way. The swords became a different extension of my body. While with one sword and the regular twin swords I could attack everything in front of me, it was stiff and inflexible compared to Wingblade. With this I could chain together motions as if these were my true arms, my true wings. I got very comfortable and had a set combo already. It was a rapid frenzy of slashes and strikes coupled together with shoulder bashes and a kick that turned into a backflip. I landed in a semi-crouch and lunged forward, scything the air in front of me. Then I executed the backflip again and made some distance with the imaginary enemy. I leapt forward and would have kneed it in the face had it been tangible. I rolled forward and crouched. I slowed my breathing. Calming myself. I then began again, different attacks, unexpected maneuvers.

Then I switched styles on the fly. I could easily go from Wingblade to Twin blade. I practice with this steady style and felt as if I had already been familiar with it. I reluctantly tried out Vanguard. The swings felt off, uneven and wild. I thrusted forward and was thrown off balance. I stumbled and landed in a heap. I lay panting for a moment. Then I stood again, I refused to let this style beat me. I kept at it, throwing myself whole heartedly into my attacks. I kept sprawling uselessly after these swings. I grimace and tried one more time. Then again, and again. Every time I fell was just another sign saying I needed to improve. And when I fell flat a twelfth time I felt my body become more clumsy. I was to tired for this. I stood and tried one final time. It was in this half defeated state that I learned how to use the Vanguard style. With my strength diminished I thrusted forward with my right sword, that I held normally. I didn't go sprawling. And I continued to attack. Spinning on the ball of my foot I slashed with my left sword, the sword I held backhanded. It was a motion similar to the one from Wingblade. And then I did something similar to reverse Helm crush with my right sword. I repeated this a few times to get a better grasp of it. Then I branched out.

Vanguard was effective when you didn't throw all of your weight in one direction, unless your clumsy attack connected with the enemy. It was truly useful when you balanced yourself out and connected attacks continuously for devastating attacks that reached even directly behind you. Balancing was a thing of beauty with this type of swordsmanship. Keeping your right hand sword useful while maximizing the speed of your left hand sword and doing so without disturbing the other. It took some getting use to. Also Vanguard was great for counters. Block with the normally held sword and then reprisal came from the backhand sword. It was truly a solo style. No allies with your back against the wall, this was the best style to use. After I familiarized myself with the regular attacks for these three styles I began using specials. Multiple hits, insane damage potential.

Regular Twin sword style had _Tempest_, _Raging Thunder, Death Knell_ among others. Wingblade had its own specials as well. _Reversal, Dark Vortex, Iapetus Reprieve_ and many more. Then finally Vanguard. It had many counter based specials among its arsenal. _Feign, Fae Moon, Devil Head, Accelerate, _to name a few. At the end of it I knew I'd be sweating if this wasn't a game. A lot of the attacks involved an incredible amount of strength and jumping. But I smiled. I sheathe both swords and open my menu. I adjusted the sheathe positions. Trying to see which ones were the most convenient place for them. Finally I decided on a position, both sheathes on my back, inverted. I wanted to draw both swords and fall into Wingblade immediately, speed would be an ally in most situations.

Now the next issue, my sheathes weren't designed to defy gravity. Though I did have two that did. Sheathes in game have very little effect except cosmetically. Occasionally you'd get a minor stat boost or ailment resistance. These two sheathes had neither. They were normal grey sheathes until the opening, a gear was set off to one side of the opening, as if to catch another gear and stop it. I didn't have a sword for these sheathes but I knew where I could get some. A yawn behind me told me Red was waking. I rapidly hid my second sword and put my sheathe were it normally was.

I didn't want anyone to see it just yet. Surprise was one of the greatest advantages I would have. Red stirred but didn't wake. I let out a relieved sigh and turned away. I continued with my practice. I used the Wingblade special _Dark Vortex,_ black light radiated from my blades as I started the eleven consecutive hit technique. The dark blades slashed fully around me as I spun and pivoted. Filling the air with the dark light from my slashes, it was a truly dark vortex. I was safe in the center of my own personal whirlpool of blades. As a finishing two blows I was lifted into the air by my vortex. I unleashed the last two slashes and dispersed the vortex in a rushing wall of wind. I touched down onto the grass and exhaled. I hadn't realized that I had been holding my breath. I stood slowly. I was about to put both swords away when I felt eyes look at me. I glance over my shoulder and match Red's stare. _Advantage gone._

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I walk into Wayland's shop the morning after. "SOL!" I dashed behind some furniture. "Hold it." She was still behind her counter, my sword in her hands. "What?" I let out a relieved sigh. I go over to her and look down at my proud weapon.

I lift it up, _Can you do me one last favor?_ I swing my sword once. "Perfect." I tell Wayland as I pay her. "I know. Its perfect for today's boss battle." I nod. Then I hesitate. "Wayland, can you do me a favor?" She nods and I tell her. She practically strangled me. "WHAT!?" I placate her and ask her to do it.

I gave her the two geared sheathes. "You'll be late for the boss battle." She tells me. I wait nonetheless. E-stone messaged me an hour later. _The assault is about to begin, you coming?_ I give him a reply. "I can't fathom why you'd ask me to do this." She brought me the sheathes, now with swords in them. The swords had a gear motif for the guard. Which caught on the gear of the sheath and basically kept them in place, even upside down.

I held both weapons. They had high stats, but not matching _Nature's Virtue._ The sword I had Wayland melt down to use as part of the materials for these weapons. "Thanks Wayland." I pay her and dash. I put one sheathed sword away and put the other on my back. The longsword had a name that I had to check later. I inverted the sheathe and felt the comfortable weight of the sword still on my back. I used a teleporter to jump to the twenty-fifth tier. It was a short run to the dungeon and then a maddening one to find the boss door. They were marching through as I joined them. E-stone must have been at the front because I didn't see him. Red was amidst the group, though from where I was at the far back I couldn't call out to her. I saw a dark shape shifting in the room, sparks and light effects flared as the fighting began. Here goes nothing. I charge in, not having a particular task in mind.

I'd do what a solo does best and improvise. The boss was at the very back of the room, dark tentacle like shapes shifting in the air around it. I saw several white bandages surge from the darkness and attack like spears. The sarcophagus shaped boss must be at the back. I dashed aside as a bandage pierced the ground behind me. I felt the strong wind kicked up by the impact propel me forward. As I stepped into the shadows the other end of the boss room lit up. Blue flames soared and licked the stalactites above. I stumbled back, good thing too. The bandages stabbed into the ground in front of me from all directions. "Get up." E-stone said as he helped me up. I nod. We face the boss as the rest of the fifty or sixty clearers surrounded the stationary boss.

Its spears were a dangerous threat. "What the hell happened to your sheath?" E-stone asked as we advanced steadily. The bandages were like snakes, feinting and striking while our guards were down. "Keep it together, we can do it." The tank wall was taking heavy damage. From one or two strikes a tank had to shift with another to heal up. "Dammit!" E-stone exclaimed as the wall was broken at several points. I decided I'd put myself to use. "I'll buy you some time." I charge the boss.

I duck and roll as it concentrates several bandages on me. Normally this would be suicide, and I wasn't partial to that. I slid under a scything bandage and leap forward. The number of bandages that came from the sarcophagus were increasing as I approached. It became very difficult to advance a foot. Let alone reach the boss. I jumped over a sweeping bandage and saw that I was trapped. Two from behind, one above, three from my right, another from my left. To many. This was probably as good a time as any to draw my blade. There was a sword style that used the sword backhanded. It wasn't nearly as effective as Wingblade, _Shining_ _Wing_ wasn't comparable to the twin swords style, but to regular swordsmanship, this was one hell of a style.

I drew my sword, the grooves on the hilt allowed me a sure grip. I closed my eyes, this would all be decided in an instant. I was still rising, immediate threat right above me. My blade countered the single bandage trying to spear me from above. I pinwheeled from the contact and was already slashing to intercept the two behind me. I spun and centered myself, facing the two bandages that were originally behind me. My blade connected and forced me back, through the air. The second one was aimed right at my face. I shifted my weight in midair and saw it skim inches above my nose. I did a handspring to avoid the bandages flanking me. I landed and wasn't allowed a moments respite. A bandage slashed my from my flank and it was all downhill from there. I stumbled and had my feet swept out from under me by another bandage.

They rose above me, poised to strike. I rolled as they launched at me. I narrowly escaped with barely a third of my health. The bandages seemed to slither around me as they aimed. I concentrated, looking for a way out. There were none. The only thing left was for me to pray.

Or the clearers to completely eviscerate the bandages. The came like a mighty wave that cut and sliced the bandages to pieces. I was very relieved. We held our ground against the greatly decreased bandages. But that didn't mean anything. We were stuck in the middle of the room, making little headway. We slowly made it to the statue and attacked. The towering stone coffin shuttered under our blows. The bandages went into a frenzy. If they had had mouths they would have been foaming. Red was absolutely marvelous. She danced amidst the deadly spears. Her rapier stabbing once...twice...five times to stun or destroy one of the deadly _appendages_. As the clearers swarmed around the coffin we made cracks. As the first of four health bars was destroyed a chunk of the coffin shattered into scrubbed data. I didn't chance a glance inside the thing, fearing what monster would be inside.

I slashed away like a sea at storm. My body spinning and twisting every moment as my blade slashed away. The specials I used didn't have many hits. Twin sword styles did because they ran on a tier like special system. Tier one specials available right off the bat. The highest tier specials were available upon maxing out the skills. And to keep it interesting there were several stat boosts that increased damage dealt or other stats between the tiers of skills. But regular skills, as far as I know twin sword styles are the only ones like that, run on a different reward system. Just improving proficiency in a skill can grant you few skills mixed with stat boosts, more stat boosts in general, as you progressed. I used a three hit special that I just somehow slipped into. That seems to be happening a lot now. Through instincts or the benevolence of the system I stumble across specials without looking into the style so much. I slashed away at the bandage and saw more of the boss's health get chipped away. I finally looked at its name. My heart stopped.

_Emperor of Damned_. This name made me stop because the Damned were fiery specters. Though they sometimes could be found resting, as mummified, bandaged wrapped, scorched skeletons. I saw a red eye peer at me from the sarcophagus. This can't end well. "Run!" I yell as I try to get E-stone's attention. "RUN!" He looks at me funny then there is a startling sound.

Laughter, so loud it made the ground shake. The boss was laughing. "FOOLS!" I bellowed, scaring more than most of us. Enemies don't talk, with few exceptions. This must be one of them, and that meant one thing, this was a harder fight than any of us could have imagined. As its second health bar dipped under the halfway point the rest of the sarcophagus broke away. Revealing the skeletal behemoth within.

"RUN!" Someone yelled as a hand broke free of its wrappings. The clearing group scrambled. Some tried to teleport away but couldn't. This would not end well. We ran for the exit, the last resort since we can't escape via gems. The large boss door was still open. I heard creaking behind me and I glanced back. The boss was dragging itself towards us. Trying to get within reach. The bandages seemed a lot less threatening now that the boss was active. I realized something else, its largest, longest bandages were darting towards the edges of the room coming towards our wall slightly. It all meant one thing. "STOP!"

They didn't, the bandages leapt forward and struck the doors, trying to force them close. Tanks separated from the clearers and pushed against the doors. They stopped the doors from moving, barely. There was a stream of players rushing through the gap left open. They could only go in maybe three at a time, two if they were particularly bulky with their armor. That meant that the rear of the group would suffer from the boss. I shoved people forward, keeping an eye on the boss. It had slowed to a more, how to say it, leisurely pace. I turned and pressed my back against the mass of players, willing them to go on.

"Hey––" I looked over my shoulder to see E-stone get swept by the current of players, he was shoved all the way out of the boss room. I felt a bit of tension in me ease. I saw panic in their eyes. Something they didn't deserve. They should have been rejoicing, they shouldn't have been caught in this death game. These were just humans, people. They lived normal lives until this happened. They weren't suppose to be fighting soon-to-be-on-fire giant bosses. I felt a lot of the tension in me eased.

There were two tanks next to me. Comrades from the first boss fight. They belonged to Set's guild. "Hey." They looked at me, scared. "Do me a favor," I told them and I saw something in their eyes waver.

"Sol!" She called. Her red hood had fallen off her head. "Now." I grip their shoulders hard. I saw their resolve harden. I turn away from the clearing group. The boss was nearly on top of us.

"I'll buy you guys some time!" I yelled over the din of yelling and rushing bodies. I charge the boss. Its a stupid suicidal thing to do. "SOL––" The two tanks I had talked to grabbed each of her arms and dragged her away. They looked at me once more. "SOL!" Red cried out.

"What are you doing?! Stop him!" I grip my sword hard. "Take care." I give them the thumbs up before I stop looking at them from over my shoulder. The evacuation wouldn't be done unless someone slowed the boss. Since Red and the tanks were last I had to hold out at least until they made it out. Why would I do this? To repent for my past failings. To save lives. Both of these in a way. But the real reason was because of last night.

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I stared at Red for the longest time, guessing at how long she must have been watching. If she's good at pretending to be asleep then she must have been watching the whole time. I turned away from her. "Your awake, that's good." Lame way to start this off.

Great. I can't fathom why but I feel like a kid who just got caught doing something he shouldn't. "Isn't that the style you used in the dungeon?" I refrained from correcting her. "In a way it is." I was about to put away both swords.

"Don't stop, it looks very impressive." I hesitated. I thought for a moment. With my back to her I gaze at the moon. The false sky above had only stars while the real one had the moon. "Red, can you do me one last favor?" She hesitated before answering. "When you get out can you make sure _they_ know about the real me, here in this world." I wasn't optimistic about my chances of getting out of the game alive. But for all the wrong reasons.

"Sure, but please stop. You talk as if your going to die." That seemed wrong. Dying. But not because it was the premature end of my life, but because it meant I wouldn't see her again. Red, nor any of my friends. The only one I might see is Cooper. "No, your right. But just in case, think of that as my will." I turn to her and bow. "In exchange I'll make sure you get out alive Red. Even if its the last thing I do."

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The boss stopped in front of me, bandages shot from the depths of the sarcophagus. I deflected them as best I could. They came at me rapidly, several at once. With one slash I deflected two and immediately had to leap to avoid one more. From there I fell into a crouch and charged under most of the bandages. Two came at me from my flanks. I spun on the ball of my foot and did a full circular slash. Then I had to brace myself as three more struck my sword. They pushed me back a foot before I overwhelmed them in a burst of adrenaline. The boss towered over me. As if expecting to initiate the fight. If that was it. I did a dodge roll to avoid a bandage and then dashed along its length. I now had a path so that I could strike the head of the boss. My attacks were nothing short of a fly buzzing to the boss. Its bandages could deal more damage than I could. I slashed away at the boss's shoulder as I climb towards its head. Two bandages nearly knock me off its back but I gripped the dirty wrappings of the boss and climbed on. I grabbed a hanging bandage from the boss's head and swing around to face its, well, face.

As I swing back I make sure I leap off and stab deep into its eye. That certainly got its attention. It howled in my face and shook me free. I fell and lost a bit of health. After shaking to clear my head I hear something. People. I looked towards the doors, beyond the straining tanks. They made it. They had made it. The tanks had pushed the doors wide open and the rest of the clearers had flooded out. Now several of them were calling out to me. I got to my feet and started running. The boss continued to howl as I heard the air behind me get slashed. Close to a hundred feet separated me from the door. And I was going to make it. A small explosion caught me off guard. The entire floor under me was cratered from where several bandages had struck. I got up off the floor and continued. "SOL!" Red yelled as she worked her way to the front of the group.

I must have been smiling. Its the probably why my luck soured then. Something told me I was in danger. I looked to my left, and saw the bandage shoot at me. There was a profound silence as I was stopped dead. The bandage stuck out of me, right out of my heart. I gripped it with my free hand and slashed upwards. I liberated myself and fell to my knees. My fatigue was already this high. "Sol!" I reached towards the door. I didn't know if I could stand again. But still I could, I would. I got to my feet, shaking. I lurched forward. And saw the doors slammed shut by a massive wave of bandages. I was right, this would not end well. Behind me the boss howled, its arm caught fire and it started to look like the Damned.

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Fifteen minutes, that's how long the doors stayed shut. That's how long someone pounded on them from the outside. They refused to budge, even as the sounds of fighting reached them on this side. Finally that person collapsed in front of the door. She was shaking terrible. And all that before her hopes could be dashed or verified. As the fifteen minutes ended the doors creaked open.

I was almost done. The boss was very tough, its bandages hard to avoid. I wipe some imagined sweat off my brow before I fall into my stance again. My health was a third of what it should be, and only that because of some dumb luck. The boss before me cackled wickedly. It was angry and had all the advantages. I hurriedly drank another healing draught and tossed the bottle. Bandages shot out from behind me, another sneak attack. I rolled and watched as they harmlessly passed through the air. I stood again and readied myself. I needed to get out fast. I was slowing and the boss was just fooling with me.

The boss gave me enough of a respite to heal myself. But if I wanted to change gear he'd rush me. I'd nearly died twice trying to get my second sword on. I instinctually leapt back and watched dust erupt from the impact of more bandages. The boss howled, signaling a rushing attack. I ran as far as I could to one side before hurling myself. It barely worked as the fiery palm left a deep gouge in the floor behind me. The entire room had several of these gouges. "Come on, you almost had me there." The boss growled and the fires spluttered and died.

I leapt to the side and avoided a wave of bandages. I was opposite the door when I first heard it creak. They were back. I scrambled away from another assault. I leapt onto a broken pillar and saw the boss break free of its bindings. Only its legs were still confined to the sarcophagus. Bandages struck the pillar and sent it toppling sideways. I landed with a roll that turned into a run. I weaved around pillars and debris as the boss followed close behind. If not for this cover I would have died ten times over. I leapt high and gripped a broken pillar hard. I used this to change directions in midair. The boss's hand moved to intercept but I managed to slip through the gap between fingers. I landed roughly and barely managed to keep my footing. "Sol!" I didn't look back. The boss howled at me. "Get back!" I yelled.

A charging attack right now might disable half the clearing group. The fiery hand came towards me. I switched my grip and used regular swordsman style. The fiery hand sliced the floor as it came like a train for me. My sword glowed. I lunged forward and met the fiery wall head-on. Gladly the system had some sort of mercy, specials can reduce or block a boss's attack to a certain degree. I used a newer, higher level special. _Dragon Spike._ My blade glowed red like fire as it surged towards the boss's hand. I dashed forward and both attacks collided with one another. The ground cracked, concussive waves came from the point of contact. I was buffeted back with each second. _Dragon Spike_ would barely be able to reduce the damage unless I persevered. I pushed forward as much as I could. I had to. The ground around me burned, spontaneously erupting in fire as I continued to struggle. I was going to be overwhelmed. I shut my eyes and felt the last of my strength bleed out of me.

Then there was no stopping the attack. The boss changed the angle of the attack and its fiery hand slammed into the ground. I was tossed high into the air. I flopped without so much as a care. Twelve feet from where I had originally been. I got to my knees and steadied myself with my sword. The boss's bandaged head loomed over me. In its maw I saw only fire. "Sol!" Someone yelled distantly. The clearers were flanking the boss as its attention was drawn to me. I tried to stand but I only fell back down. I gritted my teeth, I was cornered. The boss opened its mouth wide as the sphere of fire grew in size. Then its jaws snapped shut and swallowed the fire. My heart froze. It opened its mouth to unleash a devastating breath attack, fire lanced out from its mouth and wrapped around me. It was slightly misdirected and that's the only reason I was able to use _Phalanx_ to escape the worse of it. I punched away at the center of the flames. Lessening the damage just enough to let me survive. With the final blow the tunnel of fire turned into a shower of embers as my special destroyed it. The boss seemed to be resting. That was a good idea. I dropped to the ground, scorched floor surrounded me. I was slowly falling past the yellow. _Not enough_. I thought. I dropped my sword and then dropped to my knees. The health bar slowed, it flickered when I only had a red speck. I lurched sideways as the boss battle raged. I was done for. I had saved the clearers and gave them time to strategize. I had given my all, even drawn the attention of the boss for them to move into position. I was disturbed in my semi-conscious state as I was moved. I was pulled safely behind a pillar and my health climbed steadily.

A healing draught was in my mouth, I felt but didn't taste the liquid go down. Its just one of those things. I might pass out and die, but I tried to hang on. E-stone left me propped against a pillar as he went back to commanding his people. I was able to rejoin the fight at the end. When the boss was a behemoth of fire. I made a final gap for players to charge in, cutting into the burning wall. I was clinging to consciousness when the cheering started. Time, one hour fifty-six minutes from fight start to end. As a kicker we got a message from our jailor.

The room darkened as the robed reaper appeared overhead. "Congratulations. You beat the first of the acolytes. For that you get to know this world all the better." Amongst the cries of anger and fury I saw him operate a slider. I couldn't make out the words but the numbers were easy. He slid down the slider from ten to seven. It all changed from then. All my hurts seemed to multiply and I was gone. I was out like a light.

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I woke up in an unfamiliar place. I seriously needed to stop passing out, it was annoying and counter productive. I got off the bed and equipped my gear. I stretched a bit and rubbed myself were the bruises hurt the most. Bruises? I lifted my digital shirt to look at my digitized body and saw bruises.

I prodded them and found that they hurt worse then. I was amazed, had their been an update recently. This was astounding, the world of Purgatory was getting more and more real with each second. I could actually feel my clothes, not just the weird coarse feeling of having _something_ on. I could feel gravity, not just experience it, I had lost that slight floating feeling I get whenever I woke up. This was...scary. I gripped my sword, the hilt felt more detailed now, some of the grooves felt sharper and dug into my palm. As a final test I pushed one finger against my cheek. It felt real enough, except that the slight heat and pulsation of real flesh was missing. I was still in a digital world. I sighed with relief, glad my hell hadn't become real. I heard the door open behind me. Red stood outlined in the doorway. I blinked and then the room light came on. She had an unreadable expression. "Hi." I said weakly. She walked over to me, hands on her hips, and pushed me back.

With my back against the wall she verbally assaulted me. She called me stupid in several ways that I thought she might have expanded my vocabulary. After a certain point she got to the boss fight, it had started off as just pointing out my sheer stupidity, and then she really got pissed. She slapped me twice over the next fifteen minutes. Those didn't sting as much as the accusation and hurt in her eyes. She stood at the end of it red faced and borderline crying. I apologized in a semi-calm voice and wiped away at her tears. I tried something that worked with my sister and hugged her for a moment. She calmed as I blushed deeply.

_ And I guess, if this was a story, is where I'd tell you we lived happily ever after. We'd fight together till the bitter end and win the game. But no, this is life. Happy endings are few and far between. If you wanted a happy ending you make one._

I separated from her a moment later, embarrassed out of my mind. The window had an interesting view of the twenty-second tier. Strange. I thought I heard something, a laugh, a very distant laugh. Maybe there are no happy endings in the real world. But Cooper would argue, if he was standing here and now, that we weren't in that _Real World_.

We were in Dæmonica, stuck in Purgatory. A world of swords and monsters, a world of possibilities. I smile absentmindedly. I was a lost cause. I tried not to think about it, a happy ending with Red. But thing was, I couldn't stop. Somewhere along the way, from asking if she was a girl in the first boss dungeon, to her taking care of me while I constantly passed out due to overtaxing myself, I must have felt something for her. I couldn't help but feel it was right. But I didn't deserve that, all the people who deserved their happiness were on the dead list, or were suffering somewhere.

I was happy, I was alive, and that should make it a crime. I felt a drop of guilt in my mind and I snuffed out most of my thoughts. "Nice weather we're having." I said, stupidly looking at the artificial blue sky above. An apple tree had its leaves rustled by the wind. "Yes, very nice weather indeed." Red said as she smiled at me, a sight that sent a spike of guilt into my heart.

In Red's living room we had a pleasant time talking. We avoided the topic of me nearly dying and having her forced from the dungeon. It was pleasant. I was in a plain cotton shirt and pants. She wore a light blue dress that seemed oddly familiar. Sitting there having what some would describe as a normal morning without armor or weapons on was a delight. I was just digging myself a hole at this point. Let whatever I felt for Red do what it will. We did some small talk and then she got around to the topic of my sword.

I got both from my inventory and started talking to her. "I had it melted down." This got a small gasp from her. She must have realized it. That sword had been a gift. She knew from who, and she guessed at the sentimental value of it. I looked down at the swords in my hand. "It serves a better purpose now." I could still feel it. The green color of the blade. The ivy growing to form the hilt.

Though now I also saw the gears and metallic sheen of the new swords. I pulled tentatively on the sword. I had to, the gear on the sheathe turned reluctantly and was able to see my own reflection in the blade. The gear on the sheath was the only one that turned, it allowed my blade to slide in without any resistance, but pulling it out required a generous pull. I put those away and continued to stare at my hands.

Sometimes I saw blood on them, other times I saw Cooper's hand shaking them. I wondered if I could move on without a reminder of what I abandoned, what I left stranded. I wondered now if I would come to regret friending Red. If the past would repeat itself and Eld will march like the horsemen, bringing with him my own personal apocalypse, would Red hate me and try to kill me. I closed my eyes and pushed these sobering thoughts as far back as I could. No, Eld would make me do something much more terrible. He seemed the type.

That was another bitter pill. Eld. He knew me, my name. Had he been eavesdropping on us while we chatted. Did he have people monitoring me or the guild. All these questions weighed heavily on me for a moment. But I realize something. Eld knew. Eld knew _me_. The first time I met him he attacked me and pretended to have overreacted. But what if that wasn't true. What if recognizing me triggered something in the deranged mind of Eld. What if I was the straw that broke him. Then all the murders he committed, all the things he did, they were all my fault. Red must have sensed my mood darkening. "Hey," She said softly. Her voice was full of honest to god concern, something I didn't deserve.

"You sure you don't want to rest a while longer?" I look at her then, I can not. "Sorry," I say apologetically. "I can't keep depending on you whenever like some free loader. My gamer pride won't let me." Three-fourths a lie.

She sighed. "One day that pride of yours is going to go up like smoke. Sol." She said my username with authority. "Trust people more. They can help you without any ulterior motives. There's only one Eld. But there are more people like E-stone, Sid, and me around every corner willing to offer a helping hand. Trust me."

Then her eyes and voice softened. "Trust me alright." I nod. "Good, now do you want to tell me what's wrong?" I hesitated. I swallowed before I voiced my secret fear.

I closed my eyes, I could imagine if this was a show how they'd black out the screen and just let the audio run. "I'm afraid...I'm afraid that Eld knows who I am, and that its my fault he kills." The quiet was deafening.

I wanted to hear someone say it, that its my fault Eld started with his _I-am-God-bullcrap_. I wanted someone to give me a real reason why he kills, why he targets me, my friends, what did I do to get this _devil_ set on me.

Red was quiet, did she suddenly connect the dots the way I had. Did she realize that I was the reason _hundreds_ were dead. "Sol," I kept my head down, my hands clenched tight, I was waiting to be condemned by one of the few people that mattered.

"Listen to me. Eld is the bad guy here. Its not your fault, if anything its because of you his victim list isn't as high as it could be." I looked at her. Relief flooded my mind.

Maybe it was all of the stress. Being a solo clearer wasn't easy. Its taxing and mentally demanding. Knowing that you have no one watching your back if you ever fail. Knowing that you are going to die alone and afraid.

I nod, one hand covering my eyes to hide the tears I had. "Yeah, your right." After a few moments to calm down and realize that this was my last chance. This person, who I was seeing only a digital avatar of, is my last chance. I'd protect her, I'd keep her safe.

She was my last redemption. After all the mistakes here's one that I can't afford to make. In my mind I think these thoughts, _I will make sure you get out. Red, I'll make sure you get out of this hell, even if it means I have to burn out to do it._ And I knew I'd do it to.

I'd risk life and limb for Red. Not for selfishness or a chance to save myself. But for the fact that she doesn't deserve what I've come to expect. She doesn't deserve to die before her time. Come hell or high water, Eld or Lockeless, mark my words. _She will not die!_

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Red starts to explain the new changes to Dæmonica. After the boss was defeated Gene Lockeless appeared and altered the game somewhat. We felt more rooted here. "Its as if he took away some of the perception blocking that the interface had. We feel more. Instead of a strange cold sensation we feel a strange soreness after being hit. Its just a slight change but its enough to change everything." The change, as she described, is much more than that.

We feel pain, instead of aches and sores we have pain. Its still very dull buts its enough to put some people off about fighting monsters. "We're being crippled. Slowly, deliberately, we're being made to face the fact that we are human." I couldn't have put it better myself.

"I guess this will put a damper on the clearing operation." Red shook her head. "Actually it has the clearers all riled up." I was only mildly surprised by this.

"That's good." It was, it meant that the clearing would continue on schedule. Yes, its very good. She fidgeted in her seat for a moment. "Sorry to bring this up but we have a word from Eld." She opened her mail and forwarded me the message. It didn't make any sense. It was just a soup of letters.

A grid of random letters set before my eyes. "Any ideas?" I looked at it. "A word search?" I tried. There was no meaning to it, Eld was probably just trying to psych us out. I'd voice these doubts myself if I didn't realize the pattern.

A familiar one I made for fun with a friend. It was to hard and rigid for practical use. I mentally numbered the rows and columns of letters and numbers.

The corner were zero should have been was left empty. Column 5, row 4. H. Next letter in word is i. Move up two spaces. Word has a T,o, and m. Move down nine spaces. I continued breaking the secret until I had the message before my eyes. _Hi Tom, miss me. Continue message. Call back soon_. The floating asterisk next to the N marked the end of the message.

I began what would be called hypoventilating. Breathing unnaturally slow. Red was at my side immediately, trying to shake me out of my stupor. "Sol, Sol!" I looked at Red without seeing her for a minute.

"Red...I was right." Is all I said as I shakily get up and move away from her. I bumped into her counter and clutched my head. Impossible. Impossible. "Please, just tell me what's wrong?" Was she pleading with me? I gripped her shoulder hard before I showed her the message. "I-its pretty well hidden." She said at the end.

"Not really." I said numbly as I lean against her wall. "I got that message once before. It was the first message my friend ever sent to me." Red looked as if the blood had been drained from her. "So, Eld is––" "No!" I said with vehemence.

She jumped back. "He is not Cooper, he is not. Cooper died a long time ago." With that I leave. Not bothering to look at her I stepped out into the city and marched into the field. Impossible. Only Cooper and I knew how to write that message.

We scrapped the system immediately after. But I memorized the message. That was Cooper. Loved his brainteasers. I somehow found my way back to that dungeon. The twenty-second floor looked much the same. I went to a familiar spot next to the entrance of the dungeon. I sat down, I prayed silently for a moment. I felt Burt, Laura, and John looking down at me. Whether they were spiteful or merciful was beyond me. "Its been a while, a few days at least." I started.

I looked up at the false evening sky. "I wonder how things are with you guys. Out of the death game. I want to thank you, you guys were the best friends I ever had." I now knew why people who grieve wanted to be belligerently drunk. It helped bury the pain.

"We cleared the twenty-fifth boss. I passed out again." I began. Telling them about the battle, my doubts. And Eld. "He was one of you. Eld, a friend. I'm not sure I can remember who he is but he sure remembers me." After that I started to tell them all about the things I felt guilty about.

"I should have just let Eld kill me, it would have been better if I had died. Anything to stop him from being this monster." I couldn't stand the idea that a friend, _a close friend_, was a monster now.

What I was was something else, if I failed a friend so bad as to make Eld into what he was then I deserved to die. Thing was, I don't know who I failed. Cooper was the only other person I knew who knows how to write that message the exact same way. But Cooper could have shared it with someone, anyone. We weren't together all the time. He had his own acquaintances who later became my friends. But which one was it!

I stand. I pay my respects one last time before turning. Red stood there, patiently waiting. "I'm sorry if I interrupted something." She said, a bit withdrawn. I shake my head.

"It was nothing. Just saying hello to some old friends." I walk away from the dungeon without looking over my shoulder at the ghosts. Not the poltergeists, but my friends. Red stopped me, I'd expect she'd say a few words to console me. But she didn't.

"I've made up my mind." She told me. She hugged me, my expression was unreadable as tears streamed down my face. Her next words would shock me. "I'm going to join the guild." I nodded. "And I'm taking you with me."

I stepped away from her, astonished. This was more shocking than her slapping me earlier, more shocking by far. This was...what was this? "I–its better if I didn't. I mean who wants an Eld magnet around." Red flicked my forehead with a finger.

"Don't try to weasel out of this. And besides I'd want you around." I looked away from her. Hesitation in a single moment can lead to a lifetime of regret. "Don't look away, look at me." Red commanded. She turned my head and made me look at her.

I was amazed at how close we were, if we moved closer we'd be to close, closeness reserved only for kissing and hugs. I felt heat rise in my face, a million thoughts flashed through my mind. I concentrated for a moment before giving her an answer. "Good." She told me. I had told her I'd meet with them, but made no promises afterwards.

I instantly put some space between us and cooled off. I had never felt more painted into a wall than that moment, not that it was necessarily bad. I wondered how bad I'd regret this later. Or how much this would hurt Red. But at the forefront of my mind I couldn't help but envision a future with her, maybe even with friends at our side. Its these selfish moments that keep us going, and its those selfish impulses that unmake us.

After I went home I started a journal, going from day one to the present. I filled it with as much details as my senses and memory allowed. Everything, even my thoughts during that time. I then set the legacy on my status to three people. Sid, E-stone, and Red. They'd inherit whatever I had to give if I died, and they'd each get copies of my journal. They'd get to meet the real Sol. At the very back, in the very last section, I wrote my dirty secret. The thing that has weighed on me since before Dæmonica.


	9. Phase 08

**A/N––Before anything I'd like to say I originally made this chapter with Red and Sol coming together, for however briefly it would be. But then something happened IRL and I decided to make it like this. As a way to raise awareness to the people around you, never leave them alone. Hold them dear and keep them safe.**

Phase 08 Bloom

Reluctantly I join Red as she heads off to meet with the guild that had her affection. _FireBrand._ The name sounded more apt for an item than a guild. Red went ahead, she would introduce me after a moment. The seven people surrounded Red and there was general laughter after a few minutes. Then they fell quiet. I contemplated leaving. There were several nods and Red turned towards me. "Come on out here!" She called.

No helping it, I wasn't going to be making her look like a fool. I approached from where I was slightly behind a tree. I felt awkward as they greeted me warmly. We went a bit further in before finding a relatively safe area within the field before we settled down for a picnic. Red has been struggling to improve her cooking skill, one I maxed out by the sheer coincidence that I had all the rankings of ingredients, and in quite an abundance, from F to SSS.

Soloing had its perks. Like increasing the likelihood of collecting ingredient drops from monsters. Its been proven too, no one knows why though.

They shook my hand and introduced themselves. Pressa awed me at first, never expecting someone with model-like good looks to be MMORPG. She had a decent dagger at her waist.

Saltine, was a bumbly type of guy. He almost knocked Pressa over as he vigorously shook my hand, his spear trailing behind him a bit more than his short stature.

Gilland seemed quite amicable, he asked me to a duel. Swordsman to swordsman. I graciously declined and then another person came forth.

His name was Fisc, the layers of armor he wore were quite intimidating. He was a mace wielding tank. He had a lot of strength, not surprising given he was what he was.

The next guy was a scruffy teen, he might have been a year or two older than Red and I. He had a shield and dagger, an interesting combination, and his name was René.

Last but certainly not least. Cain, he was an easy-going fellow with a kind smile. He looked around eighteen. His handshake was firm and he talked to me like we were equals and friends. He was the leader without a doubt.

We sat down for a hand prepared meal from Red. Her sandwiches were a delight. Even though I've tasted food that was made to, system wise, perfection her food tasted as good if not better than mine. She obviously prided herself on her cooking as Cain and I each eat three in no time. Though Fisc beats us all, ten in half as many minutes. If the guy was as big as he appeared then I hope he left some for us.

We have a nice conversation on the dungeon here. "Four sub-bosses." They nod. They had gone that far but not being well suited to fighting off four sub-bosses they retreated. They were very high level, they must be trying to get some drops.

"By the way, did you happen to come across the Creepers?" They were quiet. "We were pinned in the dark when this girl here found us." In an almost carefree way Cain put an arm around Red. She laughed. "I remember how scared you were when I kicked you out of the way." She smiled, they smiled at each other before the laughter became infectious.

I laughed to, though I felt something in the pit of my stomach. This would explain a lot. I sipped at my canteen. I guess it would have happened eventually. He seemed like a likable guy, I kept to myself and was a recluse here. I could see how those two got together. "So what do you say?" He extends a hand towards me. He isn't touching Red anymore, which I am silently glad for.

"Sorry, I won't go back to that dungeon." I tell them, he seemed a bit crestfallen. "Its not you guys, those Creepers just, well, creep the hell out of me." Fisc shivered and agreed with me. "But I know a place, how strong are you guys?" Red just had gave me a questioning glance at what I suggested.

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I don't know what made me want to come to this place, to try to get a feel for this guild. To unleash a bit of frustration. To put some old ghosts down. Maybe all of these, maybe none of these, maybe more. I approached the entrance to the dungeon where Red had convinced me to go with her earlier.

The twenty-second tier. I had equipped both swords for this. When I had both equipped they had a collective name, _Automata_. I wielded both blades now. I was going to a place that claimed some of my friends once.

Not anymore. It would be do or die for me. The guild was quite strong, they easily dealt with the monsters. "Over here." I said as a blast of chilled air came at me. "Down there is the boss of the dungeon." I said mechanically.

Red was at my side. "Well I have to say this is an impressive place." Cain said, sporting a new shield. "I can't wait to see what drops the boss will have." We started down the stairs. It got colder the farther down we went. In whispered voices Red talked with me. "Isn't this the dungeon that you..."

"It is." She looked at me, confusion in her eyes.

"Then why?" I clenched my hand into a fist.

"Because I want revenge, in a way. In another way its to put some ghosts at ease." I jumped down the last five steps and arrived at the arena like area. I forced myself to remember as much as I could. "Its ahead, be careful it can blind you." I look down at the icy ground. Waiting.

As if on cue the arena lit up and I felt an impact. I looked up. _Winter's bane_ stood before me. "Its been awhile." I say as I draw both swords. "Careful, it goes for the instant kills." Cain reorganized his group.

"I'll keep it busy, I hope I can count on you guys." Red approached me, but I was already dashing ahead. "HAAA!" The giant made of ice stabbed down at me with its elongated arm. I leapt over its claws and slid towards its legs.

I used _Reversal _to deal heavy damage to the boss. With my swords glowing I charge forward, The boss made to kick me. But _Reversal_ is special. Its also an evasive maneuver. I seemed to appear behind the boss, a type of teleportation that grants me a speed boost to complete the special. The twin slashes delivered at a higher speed and being a special more besides meant that I dealt heavy damage. The icy statue bellowed and lost its balanced. It dropped to one knee and seemed to rest. That's when the guild went in for the kill. They unleashed waves of specials that reduced the first health bar to nothing. Then they halved its second health bar. Red seemed to prepare to go in for a decisive. But she backed off. I dashed, she left me an opening.

The sub-boss sent a clumsy blow towards me. I leapt over the fist and dashed along the length of the frosty arm. I aimed for its head before using _Dark Vortex_. The icy giant reeled from the attack. I rolled when I hit the ground. The giant was down to its final health bar. It seethed now.

Shedding most of its icy layers and turning into a skeleton. I vaguely remembered it doing that before. It leapt towards me and caught me. It lifted me up, belligerent of the others attacking its legs. It tightened its grip on me, crushing me. I saw a flash, I was back in the dungeon with only my three friends.

Laura was being held by the sub-boss. Then she was pulled apart and killed. I blinked and saw the sub-boss's other hand come towards me. I snapped out of my shock. "SOL!" Red called from below me. I react.

I still had full mobility of my arms. I madly attacked the hand holding me. Chips of ice flew around me as my flurry of attacks connected. Then the other hand started to curl around me. "...No..." I whispered in the dark as I pushed against the tightening fingers. I strained, and strained.

Keeping myself alive, leaving myself with enough wiggle room to not get instant killed. I let go of my swords and use a hand-to-hand special. _Phalanx_. The hand releases me with a jerk.

I flip through the air and land in a crouch. My blades impale the ground on either side of me. _Perfect_. "Up and at 'em Sol." Cain said as he tossed me a potion. I caught it and chugged the healing draught down quick. I dropped the bottle and gripped my weapons.

Cain at my side, the others were to far away distracting the boss. With this guy next to me, and the others where they were no one could hear what was said. "Pity...didn't get killed." I looked at him. He wasn't looking at me, and I was sure I missed a part of what he said. But some part of me said he was danger, he would kill me.

"Come on Sol." Cain charged. I shook my head, no he didn't just voice his regret at my continued existence. I joined the charge. The boss was backed against a wall when Red and I came together. She went first. She delivered a fencing special that blasted a huge chunk out of the boss's dwindling health.

I went for the finisher. _Incandescent,_ a double slash Wingblade special, cleanly destroyed the boss. Wiping out the remaining health of its third health bar. The boss stood frozen, its maw wide open. A scream of pain or outrage frozen right in the middle. Then it was gone. Then the reward screen appeared. The guild cheered as I stared at the descending shards of scrubbed data. All this to kill a boss that would respawn.

Red came over to me as I watched the last shards blink out of existence. "Hey," She said softly. "Are you alright?" I don't answer right away. I don't think that I could answer this question right at this moment.

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We went for a celebratory dinner at Sid's place. I ate at the bar while the others had a booth. "Aren't you going to join them?" He said as he poured me some cider. I shake my head. I empty my cup in one go. "Got anything that will burn my throat?" I ask him.

blinks at me, confused. "No alcohol if that's what your thinking."

He seems a bit more confused as he puts a steaming cup before me. Touching the cup hurt. I chugged this down. The drink tasted like tea. But the fact that it was about boiling really gave it a certain kick. When the chatter died down a bit more Cain came and sat by me. "I have to say that was an interesting dungeon Sol." Cain had a beaming smile. One that seemed infectious. I returned it to him.

"Of course. Sorry if it seemed a bit difficult."

"Nonsense, the loot was all worth it." We had a few pleasant words before he got around to recruiting me. "Though I have to ask, are your ready for it?" I gave him a questioning look.

"Well, you really were soloing it in the dungeon. I know that's probably how you've survived up until now but you'll have to change that." He seemed very understanding.

"I doubt I could join up. I'm not exactly a people person." He laughs. "I don't know about that. You made friends with Red. And with my guild." I shrug as Sid refills my cup. "I understand though. Talk with me if you ever change your mind." I watched him go back over to the booth. He sat next to Red and calmly put an arm around her. I went back to looking down at the grain of the wooden counter. Sid just gave me a knowing look.

"On the house." Sid whispered to me as he replaced my tea with something else. Something that burned my throat in a different way. "Thanks." I say as he serves me tea again. I guess Sid can read me like a book. I shake my head to clear it.

Tonight's a night that calls for some training. I find an appropriate moment to leave under the pretense of getting some rest. I go back to the twenty-second tier. More specifically, back to that boss. I was calm, and I knew its attack pattern now. It bellowed as it landed in front of me. "Hello boy. Missed me." It roared again and came at me.

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The next day I decided to go and find myself a good napping spot. I thought of going to the forest on the seventh tier. But I decided against it for various reasons. Then I decided to go to the twenty-fifth tier. I hadn't rested since yesterday, and last night I spent killing that one boss again and again. I caught a two hour nap out in the field, not caring about monsters or PKers.

I went to _The Sheer_. A guild quest icon pulsated in my menu. I was still technically a member of the Alliance of White Wings. May as well put a rest to all my ghosts. I wasn't suicidal. I was being a completion-ist. I opened my contacts and messaged that one person. I sat with my legs hanging over the edge. I wasn't going to use this quest yet. Not yet. I still had some unfinished business to deal with. A knife heralded her arrival. I saw it glint as it rested at my neck. "What's to stop me from beheading you and tossing you over the cliff?" She asked. Venom in every syllable of her words.

"Because you want to talk no doubt." The knife disappears and her presence recedes. "I doubt you came alone." She was silent as I stood. "Well then, shall we talk?" I drew my sword. She seemed hurt. She had come alone. I was expressionless as I attacked her. "How have you been Jane?" I ask as we lock our weapons.

She grimaces and leaps back. She threw four knives at me. I draw my second sword and deflect them all. "...New trick?" She asks before throwing a barrage at me. I was quick in slashing through her assault. When you take away her advantage of long-distance weaponry she was easier to deal with. "Something like that." I say as I take slow deliberate steps.

I switch my grip on my right sword. Jane would no doubt be at clearer level, if not higher. Never underestimate revenge or hatred. It can drive you when your life has lost purpose. Not to say that she has devoted her life to killing me. I still see an occasional reference in the Paper of my old guild. "How have you been?" I ask as she dodges my slash. Vanguard is still a bit beyond me. I need to use it more often. "I'm breathing. Which is more than can be said about Laura, right?" I stay quiet.

I concentrate on her weapon, battering it with counters and feint attacks. "New topic then." I kick her back and watch her regain her footing without so much as a heartbeat passing. "How come you didn't immediately delete me from your friends list?" She ducked under my slash and kicked out my legs. I rolled away from her throwing knives. I sprang to my feet and was immediately struck by a special.

My health was halved immediately as I slid back. I slammed hard into a stone and winced. Jane was on me in an instant. Her hand on my neck, her dagger poised to strike. "I knew I'd need a way to track you down one day. Not bad for a _stepping stone_?" She spat out those last two words. "Yes, your right." I headbutt her and lean to one side.

Her weapon nicks my neck before I can do a dodge roll to escape. I put my right sword up as she rushes me. Her blade connects with mine. And both of my swords glow. She made to thrust at me while my balance was off, but she struck only a projection of me. _Feign _was another special that had something comparable to teleportation. I was on Jane's exposed flank. Using a devastating upwards slash. She intercepted with her blade just in time. The glowing tip of my blade glanced off the flat of her weapon and sent her flying.

She slammed hard into a stone and I cornered her. I had my left sword sheathed as I grip her right arm, pinning the weapon back. I rest the tip of my blade against her neck. "Do it. Kill me, why don't you?" She deserved to know. I lean in close and whisper a single sentence to her. She makes a surprised sound and I let her arm go. "Now do it. If you think I'm lying do it." She looked at me, confused, torn between two obvious versions of what happened that day.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Mike yelled. I leapt back, I plaster the cheshire cat grin to my face. "You're not as stealthy as you thought Jane?" I say. She looks hesitant as her guild rushes me. I evade them, barely. "Keep a better eye on her, our spies are always on you." Mike yells at me, trying to kill me off. I wink at Jane before using a gem to teleport to safety. I felt a little less guilty since I warned them that Eld might be following them still.

Though I saw one last thing that made me feel ten times as guilty, Jane's face showed all the pain, confusion, and sorrow that she had. I wouldn't be any good tomorrow. No good at all.

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**A month later. **

The twenty-ninth tier wasn't anything impressive. Mostly water in every direction. A series of islands and dungeons but no general field area. I'd give it another day before we found the Boss. Since that day when I joined Red's guild for the twenty-second floor dungeon she has become a member. I see her usually in the company of Cain. They always seem awfully friendly. Or at least when I'm around. Cain seemed to avoid the clearing group, and also was trying to dissuade Red from going too. From what I had heard he was also arguing with E-stone. But that was none of my concern.

I still did my soloing. It stressed me more and more now but I'd learn to deal with it. True to that thought I was suddenly surrounded by a strong horde. I sigh heavily. These _Crab-men_ were a nuisance. Just four of them were a problem for me. To think that I survived the twenty-fifth boss, alone, for fifteen minutes. I sigh again and wield one sword. I had yet to display my twin sword styles off. But I had grown tired of hiding it. I didn't care about what other, probably jealous, players _might_ think. Not since I had gone back to solo the twenty-second dungeon, the boss dungeon on that tier as well. I had also changed my sheath position. Wingblade had become a bit to demanding for me to use often. I now pulled both swords in the regular twin swords position, I gripped both normally now since I just had to reach over my shoulders to pull them out. I also devised a system for categorizing enemies by difficulty.

Twin swords dealt with the vast majority, it was good to use for just about all enemy ranges. If an enemy was a bit more difficult and agile I switched to Wingblade. And if Wingblade wasn't enough then, and only then, did I use Vanguard. I only had to use Vanguard once in the past month. I had used Wingblade ten times. I either drew one sword or dual wielded for regular twin swords on most occasions. As far as I knew I was the only dual wielder out there. Out of the approximate surviving population of fifteen thousand players I was the only one who had these exclusive styles. There were other exclusive styles. Of course there were. But those usually had two or three users.

These users were often held above the normal players. E-stone was an exclusive style user, he was one of ten known users of the _Knight_ style. Being able to wield two handed weapons with one hand was a highly prized ability. Of course he had to prioritize his strength a bit more to make sure he could wield great swords effectively.

A claw bashed me from my right. I stumble and grimace. I charge the monster from its right flank and slide under its claws. The _Crab-men_ don't cooperate well when you get them to close together, their bodies were to bulky. I sprang to my feet and stabbed in between the plates of its shell. I used _Impale_, a reliable special.

The monster screeched before it swept the area around it with its claw. I leapt off the claw and brought my sword down hard on its protruding eye. Killing it a moment later. I did a backflip as a claw came at me from above. No rest for the wicked. After dealing with the horde I continued on in the short cave dungeon. It was just a means of travel from island to island. At the end I came across some friends. Caesar and, surprisingly, Gaia. They fidgeted in place as I saw them. "Oh, its you two. Caesar, its been a while." I had seen him around at a few boss battles.

I had heard he made quiet a name for himself putting down some criminal guilds. Not PKers exclusively but swindlers, not merchants, and thugs. We shake hands. "It has been a while. Nice to see your doing well." He seemed a bit stiff with his greetings. "Yes. Forgive my asking but its strange to see you with Gaia. Is there trouble around?" Gaia kept quiet. "Er, she hired me." This was something new. "I've been escorting her around after you saved her." I nod, understanding. Caesar was a brute and great fighter. If I had to choose between ten swordsmen and Caesar, well it'd be a pretty even trade off, no matter which was chosen.

I brush past both of them. "Er, this is a bit late in coming but," She bows to me. "Thank you for that day. Sorry I haven't tried to see you." I calmly regard her. "Its fine." I continue away from them before I call out. "Caesar, make sure the little princess doesn't die." Gaia threw a rock at me. "She won't, but she isn't a––Oof!" I chuckle.

I exit the cave quickly after that. I wonder if they realized I had seen them hold hands. The most unlikely relationships can form when your in a deadly environment like this one. I smiled a bit. I'd tease them about it if it lasts. I hoped it did. A small spark of hope and affection in this game might keep us all going. I realized then that I had my priorities mixed up. I half hoped Cain might take Red away from the front lines. That would make getting her out all the easier. It still stung to think that they might be together. I never could gather my grit enough to find out. It wouldn't be hard. Just open the Paper and skim. I couldn't do that. I refused to. A _Land-Shark_ jumped out of the water and landed in front of me. I was deep in thought as I pulled out my sword and lunged.

The shark snapped at me, but it was to slow to damage me. It was such an easy foe that I was mostly distracted during the fight thinking of other things. More relevant things. I didn't kill the shark in the end. A player jumped it from behind. "I got it!" She yelled. I was amazed at how much a person can change in a month. Red didn't have her trademark red cloak and hood anymore. Though her face hadn't changed at all. She still had the same golden-red hair. Her eyes were still remarkably bright and gold. Yet I thought she was more beautiful than ever. I looked a bit away from her. "Thanks." I say. She looks at me, surprised. "Sol!" She says, hugging me. "Eh?" She steps back and puts on an irritated expression. "Come on, its been awhile. I hardly ever catch a glimpse of you except at boss fights." Well we had our separate duties to do.

She was a member of _Firebrand_. I was a solo. I didn't say as much. "Well yeah. But you know it gets tough trying to juggle missions and having fun." We walk together as we talk. "Missions! You prioritize quests over friends?" She was in a bit of a huff. "They're more like favors. E-stone and the other guildmasters get me to do odd jobs for them." She calmed a bit. "But, all the guildmasters? You still haven't joined one?" I shrug and pick up my pace.

She still doesn't understand I now prefer working alone. "Come on Sol. Stop trying to be difficult."

"I'm not trying to be. Its just that," Another shark landed in front of me. Red and I double teamed it to death a moment later. "Its just that I'm not really good at working with a group for to long." For boss battles I could adjusts. But to change my entire play style. My life choice.

I don't think I could do that _again_. Red sighs heavily. "Look, Sol just join my guild already. The crew likes you." True. "Besides I'd sleep better knowing you weren't on your own. Eld has been pretty quiet lately." I shivered. "Let him come. I'd like him to meet the business end of my sword." Red let out an irritate sound.

"Knock it off with your gamer pride!" She exclaimed suddenly. I stopped. "Look. Red, I'm to much of a solo now. If I join a guild," _Again._ "I'd probably feel like I'd hold them back." She was quiet for a moment. Fuming no doubt.

"Look, don't think to highly of yourself now. Its not like your the best player." "I know that. The best player is just a myth." She sighs again. "That's a new one." "Think about it." I start. I had strong feelings about the title _best player_. "The best player out there would be someone who doesn't let anyone down. He doesn't lose people. If there was a best player, the dead list would have only one person." I paused. "And it'd be the best player who was on there." We were quiet for a moment.

"Duel me." She said. It wasn't exactly a request but a command. "Why?" I say as I put a few more feet between us. "I want to see that pride of yours go up like smoke." I must have struck a nerve or something. "Fine." I set up the request. We'd duel till someone dropped to half health. "But there will be a condition." She accepts a moment later. I draw one sword and fall into my stance. The timer appears in front of us. The alarm rings and we lunge forward. Red is just as quick as ever. Well, it takes a lot to block and evade, leaving countering out of the question. I can't even see the tip of her rapier. In a gutsy move I predict the path of her blade and lock our weapons.

My health drops a bit but nothing serious. "Your still terrifyingly good." I say as she strains against my blade. "Stop messing around. Draw the other sword." We leap away simultaneously. "That wouldn't be fair." Is all I say to her. She lets out an irritated sound. She charges me again. Her speed is awing. "Now that I remember, what's the condition?" I avoid a fencing special and allow her time to recover. She doesn't realize that.

"When I win I want you to join my guild." This was a new recruitment plan. "I never agreed to that." I say as she lunges at me again. "But its fine." I see something glint in her eyes. She sped up, if that is possible. Several of her thrusts struck me cleanly. My health dropped by a lot. "But what do I get when I win?" I leap back from another barrage of thrusts.

I step back away from her blade and feel myself press against a tree. Stupid. I duck under the initial blow from Red's rapier. I'm not so lucky with the rest. My health was just a tic above half. Less than one blow would decide this. I huffed, dodging some of Red's attacks was tiring. "Give up." She said. "That sounds like a good idea." I tell her. I take a deep breath. "But answer me this. What do I get for winning?" She was quiet. She must have sensed the slight difference in me now.

She lunges at me, a final decisive thrust. I don't try to move. It took a lot to deal with Red. But I just gave a bit more. I knocked her rapier off course and shoulder bash her back. "What?!" She exclaimed as I started hacking away at her. I effortlessly evaded her attacks. I even countered and got several clean hits in. I ended the match by ducking under her thrust. I brought my blade up and nicked her arm. A bell rung and the notification that I won appeared. I leapt away from Red and sheathed my sword. She looked startled, maybe even afraid.

She dropped to her knees as I took out a health potion. "Did you really just go easy on me?" She asked accusingly. "No, I fought you as seriously as I could." That was a half truth. I did fight her seriously, but I did go easy on her. She bowed her head for a moment. I must have pissed her off. Nonetheless I went over and offered her my hand. "Idiot." She said before taking it. I helped her stand. Then I thought I saw tears. She looked me straight in the eyes, no tears. "Your an idiot." I nod.

"Why? Just tell me why?" I was hesitant. "Let me ask you something in kind. Why go to all this trouble? I'm not worth it." I see a spark of anger in her eyes. "That's not true. I did this to try and help you. What do you think would happen if Eld got to you in the field." I thought for a moment. "I'd take him down with me." I said without thinking.

I leaned out of the way of her fist. "Idiot!" She said. I placated her. I leaned against a palm tree. A nice breeze picked up. "If you really want to know why I won't join a guild," I look up at the false sky. "Then you'd have to know me. Know what I went through." I was sure she could guess at the tragic end to my guild career.

But it was what happened before this game that might make her understand. My secret. I'd have to come to terms with it eventually. Even if I hadn't ruined things with the guild, that secret would have destroyed me. I felt my disgust and self-loathing start to boil down to pure anger. I walked away from Red. Only calling over my shoulder once. "Say hi to your friends for me." She rushed me from behind. "Stop." She commanded. No, she pleaded. I did stop, we were about a dozen feet away from each other. My back to her. "Tell me, please." Tell her the truth.

It was such a laughably simple request that could destroy me. But she rephrased it. "Why did you not fight me without restriction, why did you hold back?" I could answer that simple question. "I could have already guessed what you'd ask of me. I guess you could say I was hoping I'd lose. But then I realized that its not something you really need." I left then. Not stopping again.

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An hour later I lean heavily against a boulder. I felt like crap. "Damn it Red. Damn it all to Hell." I wished I could fight by her side. To be her partner in this world. To have someone to always rely on, that would be my greatest wish.

I punch the boulder once before continuing on. I'd keep moving. Almost like a shark does. Move on or die in the water. Coincidentally, being on the water tier didn't lighten my mood at all though. I felt so pitiful I gave up my exploration of the day. But I had a mission to do. I was mapping out a promising dungeon. Hopefully I'd find some indication of the boss there. I kept on going farther. The islands soon had several tunnels leading away. But I kept to a more or less straight path.

The dungeon I was heading to was in a mountain. An undersea mountain of course. I climbed down the slick, lichened steps. At the very first floor of the dungeon I saw small hordes of crabs, octopuses, and an oversized seagull. After making calamari of a horde I follow the path of mapping. I take an uncharted path and begin my exploration. I avoided most hordes and dealt with the rogues that appeared to seek out sneaky players like me. I wasn't in the mood to fool around. After halving the health of an octopus monster I used _Dragon Spike_ to wipe out its health by landing a critical hit. I fumed for a second before continuing on in the dungeon.

Several dead ends later I was tired and my mood had improved. Everything with a tentacle had been slaughtered by me. The crab variety of monsters I avoided easily though. I scanned around another dead end when I let out a sigh. I turn and find a person waiting for me. She's dressed all in dark clothes. The cloak she wears has a hood that hides her face. The silvery bow in her hands was seared into my mind from the assault. I hold my breath as she aims at me. I let out a deep shuddering breath and calm. "Where's Eld?" I ask her.

"Your name is Silvermane, correct?" No response to either question.

"Well what do you want?" I was starting to get angry. Really angry.

"Tell me what the hell you people want?!" After a moments hesitation she relieves the tension on her bowstring. She hadn't shot me. She turned away and walked.

I had a million thoughts racing through my head. But pushing them all to the back of my mind I follow her. I take out one sword though, precaution. I follow ten feet behind her, she'd occasionally glance back to make sure I was there.

She walked through hordes. She'd pick them off from a distance and not slow down till she was right in the middle of them. A single archery special ended the horde in a flash. I was amazed that she had enough arrows. But then again Jane had an unimaginable amount of throwing knives on her at all times. We head to an uncharted dead end.

There were no enemies here. Just more of the same rough stone walls. I stood blocking the way out. She unslung her bow and leaned it against a stone. She sat on the rock and watched me. In my mind she didn't rank that high in the insane PKer scale. Though she seemed a bit strange.

"My name is Silvermane." She said quickly. "And I want to talk." Warily, of course, I sit on a stone not to far from hers. I looked her dead in the eyes to make sure she was concentrating on me. We were quiet for a bit. I fidgeted on my seat.

She looked only at me as we sat there. "We both know Eld has it out for you." She says abruptly. I nearly laugh. "Really, wouldn't know it." I say sarcastically. She doesn't look irate at my outburst. "You have no reason to trust me. I know you think this is all a trap. In a way its the other way around." I listened intently now. This should be good. "Eld's planning something. I can see it by that self-satisfied grin he has from time to time." I felt a shiver go up and down my spine. "Of course he is usually planning something." She fidgeted in her seat as she clenched her hands. "I'd like you to know that whenever he goes through with this plan you'll be worse off than when he killed off your friends." I snapped.

I pinned her against the wall, one hand gripped her throat while the other had my sword, ready to strike her heart. She winced but didn't struggle. Her eyes remained clear and focused on me. "If he succeeds, you'll be his newest officer." I felt pure rage settle in my stomach. "But if you can last long enough know this." I eased a bit off her neck. "You have a comrade on the inside." I was frozen to the spot. This was to good to be true. To damn good. I let her go and scan behind me.

There must be an ambush nearby. "You said it earlier. I don't have any reason to trust you." She rubs her neck lightly, massaging it. "Well we have one thing in common." I narrowed my eyes at her. "Eld has us wrapped around his finger." I gave her an amused smile. "Don't take this lightly." I chuckle. "I doubt Eld has been manipulating you all this time." Then I saw something that shocked me. A tear. I only see tears in a PKers eyes when they think they are about to die and are pleading for mercy.

"He has your guild as collateral against you. Forcing you to do certain things towards his vision. He has my sister and that gives him a loyal guard." There was no way that type of agony and sorrow could be false. I have my own sister. I can sympathize. I make a gut decision.

"Fine." She operates her menu and a notification appears before me. I briefly think she's kidding. But the fire in her eyes tells me she isn't. And because of her seriousness I was terrified. Especially by something she told me. "He said this once, _Cooper says hi._"

Two hours later I shake my head to clear it. I compose a message to E-stone and the other guildmasters. I shake my head again and lean heavily against a palm tree. I wished for the simple days when I though Eld was a sad problem. When he wasn't leading his abyss. A time when I hadn't found the guild, my friends, or when I felt conflicted towards joining Red and her bunch. I take out my Journal and add to it.

Writing about everything that happened. I close it and press the tough cover against my forehead. I put it away in my inventory and bring out a gem. I had put my trust in that girl. I hoped I wouldn't die because of it. She had given me map data though, for the use of my time. I had forwarded the clearers the info, and the boss's location. I teleport back to the tier my home is on. I find myself stumbling through the door. I collapse on the couch and rest my eyes for a minute.

I cover my face with my hand and stare at the ceiling between the gaps of my fingers. My stomach grumbled and I went to the best place to get some food, asides from my own kitchen. Sid was busy today. He had a few people ordering when I sat at the counter. "Been a while." He says as he rushes past. When everyone has been served he comes to me. "Business seems to be booming." He nods.

"Thanks to you guys my place has a monopoly basically. I'm thankful and all but come on, this is a bit much." I chuckle. Then I grow serious. "I have a favor to ask you." He sees the look on my face and tells me, "After hours." Its late at night when the last of his customers leave. "What is it?" He sits next to me. I scan around. "Does Red still come by?" He seemed disappointed. "Sol––" "Just answer me." He did, a bit annoyed.

"She's a regular. Compared to your erratic appearances I can actually use her for advertising." I swallow. "Then do me this favor." I feel the room drop several degrees. "Talk her out of staying in the clearing group." Sid's eyes went wide. He stood abruptly. He lead me to the private area of his shop. "What in frozen hell for?" He said quietly. Was he concerned. "To make sure she doesn't get dragged into my battles." I take a deep breath. "Eld's planning to attack me soon. I don't think it'll be during a boss battle. But afterwards we are usually weak. But, he's not going to try and lower our numbers." Realization dawned on him. "He still has it out for you." I nod.

"He wants to use Red against me. If he gets her he'll gain two pieces at least." Silvermane had explained to me what Eld wanted to achieve. Sid looked grave. "No...you'll need all the help you can get." I looked him right in the eyes. "Sid, I don't want it to seem like I'm exaggerating but," I swallow. "I'm asking you to do this. I want to go full out without worrying about her." He gazed at the two swords on my back. He hesitated before changing his mind. We weren't happy. Neither of us. "Try to make her stay with her guild. I'll see if I can't bring all of Eld's attention onto myself." That was my plan.

I wanted to go it alone. To solo it from then on. Maybe not solo it entirely, if she was reliable Silvermane would be at my side. All the pieces on this game are moving. And I don't want anyone on my side to get taken. I went home and started sending mails. I sent one to Caesar and then another to Gaia. I was sure Wayland was safe but expressed some worry to her. In a way that wouldn't alert Red should Wayland let something slip. I sent one to Jane, unsure if she'd read it. Then I marked one with the subject as confidential.

I sent three copies to the guildmasters. They'd organize extra security measures. Within moments I had replies. I prioritized the guildmasters first. I gave them a description at the growing unease and a person who kept escaping my sight while mapping. It was a mix of possible lies and truths that would get them to seriously consider what I had sent them. They'd think on it for the rest of the night. I then mailed back to Caesar and Gaia. I told them my gut feeling and some players who seemed to have been following me. I told them to keep tight lipped about it. I just thought that since Eld had used Gaia before he might want a repeat. Wayland sent me a thank you. I replied with a good night. I paced around my living room before I got tired enough to consider sleep. I stared at the ceiling above my bed when the message appeared. _Nothing tonight. Sleep well._ I decided to take that advice and fall asleep.

The clearers gathered in front of the boss door. I wasn't seeing Red around. I had talked to E-stone this morning about letting Red go, leave her to enjoy herself with the guild life. He was reluctant to lose one of his main damage dealers. But the Clearers were growing in numbers, we could cope. "Our scouts came back. They say its a giant serpent." He gave us the briefing efficiently.

It had become a sort of ritual. E-stone had been leading us, as our unofficial leader, one of the three guildmasters, and a friend for so long now that we let him give the overview. We break apart into groups and then open the doors. We rush in and spread about. "Keep an eye above us!" Someone reminded the clearers. I scanned frantically. No boss. No enemy. I had a sinking feeling in my gut. I feel a shiver go up and down my spine. I turn to the doors. Coils upon coils of the scaly serpent fell onto the doors and forced them shut. "Damn." We were going to try to keep our exit open. "Everyone ready!" E-stone said as he lead his damage dealers around. Flanking it.

"I got point." I yell behind him.

I had linked up with a few more clearers. A special damage dealing team that doubles as a decoy. We rushed the giant serpent head on. The fangs on the beast glowed menacingly. "Get out of the way!" I yell. We jump clear as the boss lunges for us. Its fangs leaving long straight lines in the floor. I recovered the fastest, I got the first strike in. I used _Dragon Spike_ to take a modest amount off the boss's Health bar. Nothing could describe the hell I experienced from then on. It solely went after me. I turned into a decoy and not a player. "Lead it this way!" E-stone yelled as it surged by. It ignored the clearers and only attacked them if they were directly in front of its path. "I got it!" I say. I dash towards the wall, something stupid forming in my head. The boss gained on me as I reach the wall. Thank god for agility, I was able to achieve a vertical wall run of thirteen feet before falling back. The boss slammed hard into the wall and took out a modest chunk from its health. From there we swarmed it. I kept its attention away from the others as they took it down from four health bars to three, and then thirty minutes later down to one. I was at E-stone's side now. Tired out of my mind. The molting serpent screeched in front of us. Shedding more scales and growing needle-like spines in their place. "Its almost done. Hold out a little longer." I decided this was as good a chance as any to debut my twin swords. I drew my second sword. "I'm going for it." He gawked at me as I rushed the boss. The flanking attackers paused for a minute as I leapt into the air. The serpent concentrated on me and lunged. Several looked away, hoping not to see my death. The serpent's mouth was around me when I used Wingblade's special, _Dark Vortex_. The Serpent screeched and I rolled out of its mouth as the inside of it glowed red. I grin. I switch to Vanguard. The serpent lunged again, aiming most of its forward facing spines at me. I steady myself. Waiting for the moment. The boss was a dozen feet away when both blades glowed. _Accelerate_. High speed attack.

Thirteen hits. I start off with a thrust, white light effects wrapped around me as I stopped the boss in its track. Then my backhand sword came around unbelievable fast and slashed the boss once. Then it jumped back and gave it another slash. After this I seemed to appear at the boss's flank, delivering another high speed thrust to force the boss back followed by an upward slash. The boss screamed as its tail came around to slam me. I again appeared on the opposite flank and delivered an opening slash from my backhand sword, then my right sword unleashed the last barrage. It reminded me of a rapier special. The rapid attack gave off a sound like an anti-material rifle round being fired. Knocking the boss with each of the six thrusts. The tail was coming around to me. The final hit was a corkscrew slash from my backhand sword. And that's the only reason I suffered mild damage from the serpent's tail. I slammed into the wall as the serpent recoiled. Several angry red lines of damage were already disappearing. Its health was barely a sixth of what it had been. But that was enough of an edge. The clearers took care of the weakened beast in moments before it could reach me. I calmly let out my held breath and sheathed my blades. "What the crap was that!?" E-stone asked as the clearers surrounded me. "An exclusive style. Its really strong." I then had to answer a dozen questions. Perquisites, levels, sub-boss enemies I've fought recently. All in an effort to try to learn how I got not just one but three exclusive styles.

Some congratulated me while others were stymied about what to do. E-stone himself seemed deep in thought as he headed towards the boss door. "They're here!" Someone outside yelled. Most of the clearers snapped out of it and formed up. I saw dark shapes rush through the door.

PKers.

Twenty at least, we had them out numbered one to three. I felt like this was deja vu. Hadn't something like this happened before? I dashed from the clearers, aiming right for the middle of the PKers. They smiled as my blade bit into one. They surrounded me and forced me forward. "Got 'em!" One said. He looked strange now.

A mace came and slammed into the side of my head hard. I was dazed as someone slipped a knife into my ribs. I had fallen for it. A trap. I was still to battle high. I grimaced as I used _Crescent_ to give myself some breathing room. A spear jabbed me from behind. I wince before grabbing the shaft of the weapon. I pulled hard and kicked off the PKer.

I rose above the fighting mob around me and saw chaos. About ten or fifteen archers were at the doors, shooting us like fish in a barrel. I land with a roll and slam into a PKer. He shoves me back before swinging his axe. It bits deeply into my shoulder before I can knock him out of the fight. I grip the wound. Its already disappearing but the pain is lingering. And its actual pain. Its bearable, but its highly distracting. "Sol!" I know that voice. I thought she wasn't coming. "Damn it!" She jumps behind me and uses her rapier to deal with a sneaky PKer.

"What, not glad to see me?" She said, obviously scanning for more threats. "I didn't say that." I draw my second sword now and use it. Knocking down several PKers before Red leapt over me to clear a path out of the mass mob. We both roll clear of the PKers and soon we are blinded by all the teleport light effects. "Clear." I hear from the door, I see a few bows strewn around the feet of the men there.

"Clear."

"Clear." More calls come. several of us, not just me, sit down and take a breather.

"Did we lose anyone." There was a deafening silent as a number came up. "Seven." And that was a reality. Seven people would never see the light of day in this world or the next. "Damn him. Damn ELD!" E-stone yelled.

A few of us had to hold him back before he hurt someone. "Stop that." I tell him as he threatens Eld's life. "Don't promise anything. Remember those we lost today through action." He nods after a moment.

"Come on, let's open the freaking teleporter." He steps onto the crystal pad before disappearing. The clearers, at various levels of fatigue and demoralized walked over and entered the new tier. I stayed behind with Red. Or I rather would have. "Thanks for the save." I tell her as I approach the pad.

She smacks the back of my head hard. "I don't know what your thinking but don't think you can get rid of me that easily." Sid must have spilt the beans.

"I'm doing you a favor." She scoffs. "Look I don't want you to do me this _favor._" She said the word with evident disgust. I continue onto the crystal platform. In the end I turn to look back at her. I point at her. My rage threatened to bubble over. "Make a choice! Become a clearer or join your happy guild! There are no concessions, not here, not in this game!" This was me releasing more of the pent up guilt over what happened to my guild. But my reaction could only be described as one thing. Pure and undiluted anger. I disappeared before I could get a reaction from Red. And that's how I left things. I won't bother with this problem anymore. That's one advantage a solo has over regular players.

Complete isolation and disconnection. Who could have guessed one of the things that haunted me would end up being what I'd find refuge in.

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The next day I was utterly useless. I was wallowing in my guilt. I started off in Sid's shop. Apologizing for my outrageous request. I left before he could say a word, I was busy. I had to many things on mind.

I then went to Wayland's shop. She backed off when she saw my mood. It was as if she didn't recognize me. "I need these sharpened." A slight pulsating light appeared at the edge of my vision. I ignored it. Wayland disappeared with the blades for a moment.

They were repaired and sharpened when she appeared with them again. I gripped the hilts tightly. She put her hands over mine. "Sol, are you alright." I shake for a minute, it was turning into one of _those_ days. I saw bright pinpricks appear on the backs of her hands. Tears. Really I expected to be above this. I turn away from her, steeling myself I march out and slam the door behind me. I wandered for a bit, tired, spent.

My emotional shielding had been flimsy from the start. This was just another sharp thrust into it. I don't know how but I stumbled across E-stone in the field. He was taking a moment for privacy. "Oh, its you Sol." He sighs before sitting on a nearby tree stump.

"How's it been?" He seemed older now. Tired. Officially leading a guild and unofficially leading the clearing group must be a burden on him. I almost envy him for this deserved weariness. "I'm not good." His eyes seemed to come back with some vitality, he motioned for a nearby tree stump.

I sat and then he spoke to me, like a friend. "Tell me. I'll listen." I hesitate. "You first, you probably have somethings to unload from your days managing the clearers." He tensed up. Then I saw him relax. "Well in all honesty, being a guildmaster isn't all its cracked up to be." I smile. "Well your _the_ E-stone. Your our leader. Without you we'd have taken a lot longer to organize." He shakes his head. "I don't think so. Right at the beginning I linked up with other members. Some friends, some complete strangers just as desperate. For the first three days of Dæmonica we stayed together." I swallowed dryly. No one ever speaks of those three days. The inauguration days had been hell. It was a three day event that featured increased difficulty and spawning of hordes. We lost a vast majority of the dead list people during day two. By day three bonds of war had been formed. Friends gained and lost. It was a horrid time. It was the one of few times I felt relieved to be a solo.

Others weren't so lucky. "After we got through the wall of Wretched's lining the starting city my friends and I headed to a nearby village." E-stone looked down at his hands. He looked as if they were covered in something. I could guess what it was, no doubt the blood and lives of his comrades. "I lost my best friend from over there on day two." He said hollowly.

I thought the corners of his eyes glistened slightly. "He took a blow meant for me. I lived and he died. I still think about that." What he said next surprised me. "How unfair. He should have been looking out for himself. He shouldn't have thrown his life away for nothing!" I now saw a kindred spirit in suffering. A fellow guilt ridden person.

"He threw his life away for me, I wasn't even worth it!" E-stone shook fiercely for a moment. Then his eyes turned murderous. "That's when I met Eld."

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"We were running from the horde that killed my friend. Eld appeared out of no where." I saw the cold glint in E-stone's eyes. "He pleaded with us for help. Our then leader decided to take him on. He was interested in me. It seemed like my suffering attracted him." E-stone's fists slammed hard into the grass at his feet.

"He was a monster, I just didn't know it. Feigning sympathy and compassion. Getting me to spill my guilt to him. Then they started dying." E-stone spat. "We started off as a group of nine players. We dropped to four, in between this we had picked up at least six more to replace our losses." It wasn't uncommon. But it was still horrifying to hear.

And so E-stone continued. Telling me how Eld had won his trust. And had even convinced him to start what would be the clearing group. "That sick FUCK!" E-stone yelled at the end. I gave him a few moments. He breathed in deeply to relax. Then his eyes were dull, as if all his strength had been sapped. Then slowly he poured out his sorrows to me. How he was haunted by their faces. Each one burned just the same to him. From the ones he watched get killed from afar to the ones he held in his hands as they were deleted, permanently.

He went from crying, to raging, to somber silent. "But, I do have to admit that the clearers seemed the only thing that mattered." His eyes seemed to lighten slightly. I coaxed E-stone into reminding himself of the happy moments. He recounted to me countless adventures with friends and comrades. Pranks made, jokes shared. Promises kept. Then we got to the last boss fight. "To be honest with you, I hated for Red to go." I felt something go up and down my back.

There was another notification in my peripheral vision. I concentrate on E-stone as he continues. "She was around from the beginning as well. Set found her and two others to start off the clearing group. At the same time you showed your prowess, and how strong you truly are." E-stone smiled, thinking of good times. After a moment he seemed better, still worn down. But he had some strength back, not into his digital body but into his real soul. "This feels like a therapy session." He said chuckling after awhile. He opened his inventory and threw me something. A fruit.

An apple to be precise. "Your turn." He said as he bit into his own. I looked down at the very red fruit in my hand. "I admire you E-stone. You did what I couldn't. You started a group and protected them." My sorrow welled up from me. "I think you should know this." I looked him dead in the eyes. "Eld wants to kill me, because he knew me back in the real world." He went from surprised to understanding as I explained the message. My hypothesis on his insanity. I felt myself fall, I was so despicable. I shake my head and continue on with what has been bothering me.

"I know its hard E-stone, but let Red leave. She's one of the few people that matters to me." He nodded, understanding. "She's free to go." I stand. A leaf fell in front of me. "I once had a guild as well." He nods, I showed him our insignia to have him let me go on the assault. "You probably thought that's who I used to beat Eld. No, I just risked taking one person from our group. And that ended up destroying us from the inside out." E-stone's eyes saw the piece of sorrow in me.

I thanked him for the apple. "Sol." He called to me, standing abruptly. "Stay alive. You hear me. No matter what. Its probably the only way we can get Red to stay safe as well." I nod, though he doesn't seem convinced.

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Stumbling through the field I run into the one person who I was unsure about. Cain. He smiled and greeted me kindly. I gave him a half-hearted hello. "You know we're going to one of the new dungeons. We'd like to have you tag along. I'd personally like to have another clearer on our team to help make sure things go well." I had to give him this. He was charismatic. Despite my misgivings I said I'd consider it, if not I gave him contact info for a few freelancers. I then head home, some things to consider. But one thing was for certain, it was one of _those_ days.

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It was just one of those days. A day when you wake up and are just plain depressed. A day for drinking, for crying, for becoming a mess. I sat at my table, feeling like the dregs of the universe. I stared at the picture of my guild and felt hot tears gather in my eyes. I began my drinking with Sid's gift. It burned my throat as I tried to swallow it. I was half tempted to brand it poison and chuck it away. I looked at the back wall of my kitchen and briefly glanced at a mirror. I glared at myself, I couldn't stand seeing myself. I turned off all the lights except for a small flickering candle I set on the table. For such a small bottle there was a lot to drink. I don't know when my vision became blurred. Or when my thinking got muddled. Or when I could barely walk in a straight line. But I polished off Sid's bottle and went for another. Since the game was originally made with parental controls and age restrictions, all of which were disabled after the start of the game, I shouldn't be able to possess any alcoholic beverages. But that was when this was still a game world, this was now life. In this _life_ you can obtain whatever you wanted through stores, looting, or monster drops. I had a very small stash of drinks, for days just like today. I must have started gathering these various bottles shortly after killing off my friends.

But I can't really remember nor do I care. After Sid's bottle the game's limit was about reached. Either I'd pass out on my own or I couldn't get any more drunk. I couldn't really care. The slight burning sensation at the back at my throat, the self-destructive action. It was enough to make me feel as it was enough. After bottle number three I opened my menu. I took out several bottles I rarely used. From my hunting I had collected an ungodly amount of poison, maybe enough to off myself. I stared hard at the first vial. The opaque glass giving no hints as to the dangers of the liquid sloshing inside. I put these in a small pile to one side of the table.

Then on the opposite end I put my swords. Whats the point, I was going to die anyway. May as well be my way. One last defiant "F– You" to Eld. I smiled a bit. That bastard, I wish I could take him with me. Friend or not, this was not that life. This place you made your life with a sword, a knife, a hammer. You blazed your path through this life. A grand fire snuffing out obstacles in its path until it shines to bright, to fast or is smothered to death. I could do it, suicide was very viable. I knew people who probably had already gone and jumped off the end of the world. Poison and my swords were just a more penitent way, a more tortuous way at suicide.

I ignored these for now, I looked at the image being projected from the small cube. My guild. I swallowed dryly and set a few more recording cubes next to this one. Tears fell freely. How many people had I failed, or worse, killed. Cooper, he was the first and possible worst. The Alliance of White Wings, they were a close second. Caesar's sister and her comrades. How many more. I grabbed the empty bottle and chucked it at the door. It smashed against the IMMORTAL OBJECT and shattered. I was mad now. I chugged one or two more bottles and let them fall to the ground as I coughed and gagged. Alcohol really tastes terrible.

The bottle smashed and the sound seems to pierce the night, once, twice. "Sol!" Knocking at my door. More like beating. I was tempted to ignore it. Very tempted. I got up and opened the door a crack. Red tried to force her way in, her rapier half out of its sheathe. "What is it?" I sounded coherent, possible another game limitation. "Ah, sounded like there might have been a struggle." She supplied.

I shook my head. I opened the door wide and stood in the doorway. "Nope. None at all, just dropped some things." Red didn't even peer behind me into the dark of my house. "What can I do for you Red, its a fine evening." I said absentmindedly as I looked up at the false sky. "...Sol, you sure your alright?" She asked. I don't answer. "Hmm, now that I think about it, why are you here?" I concentrated and cleared my mind enough to think straight. I was pretty sure I gave her an ultimatum and ruined any type of friendship we use to have. She just looked at me. "We've been messaging you for hours. Haven't you noticed?" Messaging, I did now just register a slight pulsating light in the corner of my vision. "Not really." I confess.

"We've all been worried about you, I came by here to see what was wrong." I smiled a small, sad, melancholy smile. I thought I saw something in Red change. "Nope, perfectly fine. Nothing going on at all." I couldn't hide the contempt from my self-loathing from showing in my voice. "Just go home Red." I say softly before shutting the door. "But––" There was a thunk and I walked back to my table. The candle sputtered realistically. Sitting back down at my table I look intently at the image before me. I reach for it, trying to touch the faces of friends no longer in this or any world. I was despicable. Living. I should do it. Atone.

Then I realized I could never kill myself. A part of me wanted to die. One part that was riddled with guilt and done for. What if I could just let my emotions die off. Let Eld have his way, make me into a murderous machine. Let me find a purpose, let my sword find his head. I reached forward, towards several of the bottles of liquor. I wished to drink. To drown in it, to smother all the pain in it. Instead I know I'm not respecting the memories of those that died. My arm rapidly swept across the table. The bottles flew clean across the room. Smashing against IMMORTAL OBJECTS. The poison radiated weakness. I picked one and contemplated it. Could I really give up. I already knew the answer. I couldn't. I grimaced and threw the poison as hard as I could. The light effect illuminated my house for a minute. I failed to notice the person in the shadows, watching with disbelief. I then feel my rage reach the breaking point. I tip my table over, it spilled its contents across the floor. Bottles of poison broke and disappeared. My swords clattered to the ground. The table itself shattered and disappeared. The candle rolled, its flame spitting at me.

The things that hurt were the recordings. Several of them had activated. Next to the image of the full guild there was a recording of Mike and John. The brothers fooling around having a blast in game. Then the girls of the guild were showing off their skills. Making a competition out of it. Images of each member. Group shots. Jane and Mike leading the way in the field. Laura and John holding hands at a restaurant. Burt, Sim and I having an eating contest. Laughing, lots of laughing. They slowly fell silent, all but one. One I didn't realize I had. It must have sat at the bottom of my inventory for a while now.

"...Sol." The voice called. "Tom, even though its been awhile I," "Ahem," Someone off screen said. "We thought that you might still have your sleepless nights." Jane sat in front of a fireplace. This must have been before her birthday. Before we all came together. Before I was a clearer to them. "So for the big cry baby we have a song." Laura, Mikayla and Shay join Jane. They started. "_Silent night...Holy night." _I felt tears flowed in rivulets.

"..._Sleep in Heavenly peace."_ I groped around for my sword. Pulling the blade free I separate this cube from the rest. "_Silent night...Holy night."_ They sung it through once more. I raised my sword as they concluded, the point aimed right at it. The others then give me a farewell.

"Good night Tom." "Sleep well Tommy." "Take care, Thomas." It seemed the girls left the room, leaving Jane alone with the recording. "I just thought you should know," I grit my teeth, I'd destroy this any second now. "Thomas." Jane seemed so flustered as she spoke. But her eyes seemed to transcend the recording, staring into me. "I just thought you should know, if I don't make it. I think," I stab downward.

"I love you."

The tip of my blade stopped millimeters above the item. I had stopped it. I had stopped my weapon. I gripped the blade hard, red damage light appeared on my hand. This had to be a joke. A cruel joke. "No, if your seeing this then I am dead. I'll have the legacy set that way. If your finding it early, I'm sorry." She smiled, tears running down her cheeks. "I thought I'd die first. And if your seeing this at the right time. I'm sorry, for being right."

She smiled angelically. The video froze, she still smiled at me. I let go of my sword. It clattered down harmlessly. I felt a wealth of emotions running throughout my mind. I cupped the cube gently in my hand. "This has to be a cruel joke, right. You can't love me." I can't stop the tears.

"I couldn't protect you all, and now I hear this. What type of sick...joke...is..." My voice began to break. I then tossed the cube. It clattered to the ground behind a chair. I ignored the mess on the floor as I pressed my back against the wall. "Love me...you really knew where to hit me where it counts." I said to nobody.

"Is it even right...to say the same to you?" I asked the air. "Could I have ever responded the same way? I'm not even sure if what you felt was one sided or mutual." I laugh bitterly.

"I really am just a little good for nothing. I am an idiot, just like she said." I feel the tears slow for a moment. A noise alerted me, another person nearby. I lazily rolled the candle to land at their feet. I smile the smile from earlier. Full of grief and sorrow. "This is embarrassing. Hope you haven't seen much Red." She looked at me, shocked, hurt. A look so complex I couldn't understand, yet it was simple enough for the system to replicate.

I cast a lazy glance around. "Ha...What a mess. I shouldn't receive a guest...like...this..." I felt the smile crack a bit, the suppressed sobs were to much. I couldn't move anymore. I was done. It was one of those days. A day where the blows keep coming. Where you just have to cry.

A day like today. I don't know when the tears stopped. Or when I realized I wasn't in the kitchen anymore. I was to hurt to be of much use. I stared at my ceiling for the longest time. That's when I realized I was staring at something, and it wasn't my ceiling. A message. _Eld has switched objectives. Stay with Red._ This obviously horrified me to no end. I remembered the offer Cain gave me. I needed to be there with them, tomorrow, and from now on.


	10. Phase 09

**A/N––The end of one arc, so to speak, and the beginning of another. This is one of the last times you'll hear of an insane Eld. The alternative isn't much better. Trust me though. What comes after this is going to be a bit of uncharted territory. P.M. me for ideas, comments, questions, etc. LLAP.**

Phase 09 Wilt

The first thing I did was make sure my equipment was at its best. I swapped out a few pieces and took a load of healing potions and gems. I had my double swords strapped to my back. I mentally prepared myself to face Red again. I took a few deep breaths before heading downstairs. The house was still a mess. I was missing my table. A collection of recording cubes were scattered across the floor. I sigh and add them back into my inventory. I meticulously searched the house for them. Then I went and got _that_ one. I stared at it long and hard. I sigh before returning it to my inventory. I had to keep it around.

If I ever sunk that low again I'd look at this video and remember who I failed. And that I owed them to such a drastic degree. I went to my door and suddenly felt as if someone was stepping on my grave. I took a look around at my house. I had a feeling that I wouldn't see this place again. I hoped I was wrong. I go back to the thirtieth floor. I take the time to flip on the hood of my new coat. It hid my face in a deep unnatural shadow. I marched to the dungeon Cain had messaged me about. He was organizing the group when I arrived. He didn't notice me right away but he smiled when he did. "Sol!" He called. We shake hands.

"I hope you don't mind if I take scout." He shakes his head. "I understand. You can solo, but come to us if its to tough." I nod. I immediately head to the entrance. "Good luck." I said over my shoulder. Red almost took a step towards me. I didn't stay long enough for her to make up her mind. I delved into the dungeon.

I stepped onto the ledge and turned. I let myself drop backwards into the abyss. I let myself fall, the whistling wind filling my ears. I righted myself and landed at the very bottom. The darkness of the dungeon was full of bears and six-armed creatures. I sigh, bulky monsters with high attack stats no doubt. Though very slow without a doubt. I look around. Six hordes. At least some thirty enemies. I draw both swords. I plot out my path. First horde, ten meters away. I could probably lead it away and give the others some breathing room when they drop down. I sent a quick message outlining the horde positions. I pick up a pebble from the floor. I test its weight a bit before hurling it. It conked a six-armed beast, a _troll_, on the back of the head and enraged it. I saw its cohorts come at me from the sides. Smart, flanking me. I dash straight at one. It raised its six arms and slammed them down with a slight glow. But I had already dodged and was slashing away at its sides. An elbow came back and slammed into my face hard. The new pain was astonishing. Real yet not real. But I kept it up, stabbing and slashing vigorously. I slashed off one arm and the monster recoiled. Its health disappeared. The two other trolls moved in on me from the sides. I was caught between their blows. I covered my face with crossed arms. The pain was immense. Eventually one of the trolls kicked me back. I slid away from them for ten feet. They were strong. A full sixth of my health was gone. I smiled. I dashed at them and used _Raging Thunder_. Bright yellow light effects came off my swords as I did a cross slash with extended reach. The trolls stumbled back, but I unleashed six more paired slashes with extended reach. They quickly fell, wave after wave of slanted and horizontal slashes that reached a good four feet past the tips of my sword. They shattered a minute later. I let out a pent up breath. I heard clapping behind me. I turn to see the guild watching me, Red's guild. I wave at them. "Well I got you some breathing room, I'll be going on ahead." I continued on into the dungeon at a leisurely walk. I was looking for points for ambushes.

Avoiding hordes or leading some away to make it easier on the guild. No sign of PKers. I felt my heart beat fast. I was a bit panicky, had I been betrayed, was _she_ unreliable. I calmed an instant later. I raised my swords, a bear charged. There was something about monster slaying that puts the mind at ease. I brought both swords down in a two hit special that knocked down the bear. I recovered almost instantly and stabbed rapidly, not rapier fast like Red but I was gaining on her speed. The bear yowled and shattered, didn't think they could make that sound. A troll and bear approached me. I sigh as I ready another _Raging Thunder_ and evasive maneuvers afterwards. In the middle of the fight I got an urgent message. I felt my fear solidify but I finished off the monsters in no time. I quickly opened the message. _Eld's gone. I can't find him. He's planning something. He sometimes does this when he wants to work without attracting much attention here. Look out for trouble_. I shivered.

We were already in a type of dead end. A dungeon could have multiple entrances and exits, even a halfway point that doubles as an escape route. But this one had the one entrance, the exit was still farther ahead, and if the escape route wasn't there then we would have to face the boss of the dungeon. Gems were an option but how to convince players to use those highly priced items. A hunch wouldn't cut it, telling them about my source would destroy any trust. I thought furiously for a moment before messaging Cain. _All clear, no chests yet. Anything on your end?_ A minute later he replied.

_Two high quality drops. One random treasure chest in a temporary chamber. Red saved our butts from a respawning horde._ I felt a bit relieved. I'd get them to the halfway point at least. I might be able to confide in Red about my misgivings. Though on second thought I'd rather not. I was still to ashamed of last night. My weakest moment in a while. I scan around before continuing forward. Nothing left to do. I had to trigger any traps Eld's PKers might have set up. I looked high and low.

I found a treasure chest and avoided a variety of strong hordes. I sent the guild this info. About three hundred feet forward I felt it. I looked to my right and saw a large hole hidden by the natural shadows. I felt a gaze coming from it. I saw that the main path continued on a while before turning. This hole appeared to be the only deviation. I sent the guild info about where I was going.

I ducked down low and enter the narrow opening. I felt a second presence in the tunnel. I peered farther in with my night vision and saw no one. Not even a disturbed pebble or mote of dust lingering in the air from a footstep. Finally I saw light again, dim corridor light of this dungeon. I step out and check my map. I was just a corridor over, but there was no entrance to the regular route. I scanned around. Nothing. "...Ha..." I turned, a voice, no doubt about it. "Ha...Sol..."

Eld.

He was nearby. "Boo." Red damage light erupted from my side as a black shape darted past. He was here.

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I immediately backed away slowly. I kept a constant watch, my back to the wall. With one sword out and my other hand working my menu I contacted E-stone. _He's here, help dungeon on thirty_. I sent the coordinates. I turned and headed towards the tunnel. A spear stabbed me in the chest and knocked me flat onto my back. Shapes started to pour in from the tunnel. I scrambled back and ran. I composed a message behind a pillar. _Red, get the guild out!_ I sent it and closed out of the window as an axe swung for my neck.

I rolled away and saw more dark shapes coming for me. Damn it. I took out a teleportation gem and hesitated. "Go. We'll take care of your lady friend." The sheer horror that rose up in my chest couldn't be described. I dropped the gem in my hand and charged. The axeman fell flat on his back as I stomped on his head twice. A spearman knocked me down and stabbed my back. I winced but got onto my knees. His spear protruded out my chest and pinned me to the ground.

I was slowly returning to my feet and glaring back at the spearman. He wavered and slacked a bit on the pressure he applied to his spear. I was ready to surge up when two more spears appeared from the darkness. They had snuck up on me. Three spears now pinned me down to the ground. My health fell at a steady rate. One of the spearmen chuckled.

"How the mighty have fallen." Eld told me. He let another PKer hold the spear before coming towards me. He dropped to one knee and pulled my head up by the hair. I glared at his masked face. "Tommy. Its been a while. How have you been? Can you sleep well at night?"

"Drop dead." He punched me hard and laughed.

"You first." He smiled at me, his demon helm looked more malevolent in the dark. "Now just stay put here, we have business with your lady friend." I felt dread start in the pit of my stomach. "Eld." I snarled as I tried to push up on the spears. He stood and organized his killers. They disappeared into the darkness. "Just stay right here." He said as he pulled out his knife. "Have you ever wondered how far the system can be pushed?" He asked nonchalantly. He placed the blade against my index finger of my left hand, as if getting a feel for the cut he'd make. "I've been doing just that." He wrenched the sword out of my hand before letting the knife fall.

My finger was lopped right off. I felt a dull stabbing pain in my hand that progressed into a roaring fire. I grimaced as the decapitation ailment flashed. A few seconds later the system replaced my finger. "You see fingers and toes are more readily replaced than limps are." Eld explained. The knife spinning from finger to finger, almost like one would a coin. "But the pain sense is magnified a bit." He chopped off the finger again. Then my little finger. The pain didn't subside as fast. "I can do this for hours before they start to cry, not taking the pain. Or days, when they grow use to it, until I just end them." His knife danced from finger to finger, as soon as one appeared it was lopped off.

"But I don't have that time frame with you, yet." He smiled. "But I'm sure I can make you scream." I was ready for him to lop off another finger. He stabbed me in the eye instead. This was ten times as painful. I yelled. "Eyes seem to be sensitive, just like IRL. They are the part that hurts the most from a sharp object being thrusted into them." Eld told me as he pulled out the weapon. He reached into one of his pouches and pulled out a potion. "Drink." He forced half the bottle into my mouth. I choked down the healing draught and I saw my health rise steadily against the damage being inflicted. I spat out the bottle before Eld returned to my hand. "Just stay still for a minute. I want to see if we can cut them off at the joints." He did just that, it only works at the base of the finger, apparently. "Strong willed, as usual." I wanted to tear his head off.

"Sol." All my rage bottomed out. "Get aw––" Eld stood and kicked me in the face, hard. I had my vision blurred as he took a few steps to my left. "Why hello there Red." He said, he gave nothing away. "Its been oh so long. Tell me, where is your guild. Is Pressa still the queen of beauty. Or have you done beat her in that category." Red's face blanched.

"And Fisc, is he still as silent as ever." I tremble slightly. "Oh please, just bring them closer to me. I'd like to meet them all personally." "HHAAA!" I pull myself forward, grabbing my sword and tossing it over my back. One of the spears was pulled out in a hurry. That was enough of a give. I lunged forward, the PKers lost their grip on the spears. Eld smiled as he blocked my slash. I forced him back and his spearmen stood in front of him, though two now had swords instead.

"Still so strong. I'll take pleasure in wiping out your freewill." He said this with obvious joy. It was sickening. I saw my second sword on the ground several meters away. "Sol!" Red called as she kicked it to me. She had definitely gotten fast. I stomped hard on the pommel and caught the spinning blade. Eld smiled, his PKers looked ready to move in. "Withdraw for now." He said. They pulled out gems. "Sto–" He was gone. I stand frozen for a second. I scan around, his PKers were still here somewhere. I lurch forward and drop to my knee. "Damn." I let go of one sword and tug on a spear. I wiggle it but it wasn't coming out. "I got you." Red said as she approached. She pulled out the spear, it didn't hurt as bad as a knife through the eye. "You were right." She said as I drink a health potion. "I was?" She looked at me. "Last night, you told me about the attack Eld would have planned on me. I didn't believe it at first." When did I tell her anything.

I figured after I broke down in front of her I must have read Silvermane's message and told Red. "Why? Your friends are in troub––" It hit me then. "Hey Red." Cain called as they approached. "We saw a lot of players start to dash around, what's the issue."

"Get out of here!" I yell. A PKer lunged out of the shadows. Cain saw this and blocked with his shield. "What the hell?!" "PKers!" I say as I knock away the enemy. The guild was good. They remained composed and formed up. "Teleport away!" Cain said. His guild brought out gems. None of them worked.

"Impossible!" I say as I try myself. It didn't work. A shield knocked me off balance as a second PKer rushed in. Red covered me. Now the PKers started to appear all around. "It must be one of the waypoint teleporters. Eld must still be in the dungeon." Red says to me. That explained how he had escaped. I remember using one of the paired gems when saving Gaia. "Damn, so no escape." Cain said. Hiding his worry very well. "Yeah." I say.

Ten Pkers surrounded us. "They really did some leveling." The mountain called Fisc said. He was not worried at all. His calm and cold voice shocked me at first. But then I felt his calmness spread. I saw the tension in the others ease. He stood next to Cain. "I'll make a hole." He said simple. Cain gripped his shoulder hard. "Second in command Fisc." Fisc was still for a moment before shrugging off the hand. "Hope you have room for one more in this plan." I say as I join Fisc. "Thanks Solo. Get the four on my left, I'l take care of the four on the right." He gave the thumbs up.

"You guys stampede the middle two!" He bellowed before rushing. I lunged forward too. Fisc was something. He used all the advantages of being a tank. Weight, strength, high defense. He was a wall that shoved back PKers. Even as his health dropped steadily he reduced two Pkers to red and the others were in the low yellow. I did much the same. Although I was still in the high yellow health wise. Cain lead the charge through the PKers barring their path. He landed a critical hit on a PKer before Red was there knocking her back. The PKer landed hard, the second brutish PKer lasted a bit longer.

Only because the rest of the guild surrounded him and forced him to stand. His health was very low in the red section before we were dashing along the corridor. "I got point!" I say as I charge. PKers dropped down around me. I unleashed _Tempest_ when they were in range. They were knocked back harshly, and Red took them down. They were on the ground in no time flat. We rounded the corner to see more PKers. "Shoot!" I say sliding under a spear.

Fisc's health was rising rapidly as he battered asides the PKers. Spears jabbed at him from all sides but his heavily armored self was not harmed to bad by them. We managed to get through this obstacle easily. We reached a junction. "Which way?" Saltine asked. I was tempted to make a gut call. "We go left!" Cain said, leading the way. I was a bit flabbergasted at his confidence and composure in this situation. I followed him and we didn't meet a single PKer. But we did meet a large horde of _trolls_.

We deal with them easily enough. We somehow got separated from the rest of the guild. I was stuck with my back pressed against Cain's. "This is a predicament." He said calmly. I had an idea about him. He was a good person in crisis. When push came to shove he'd make decisive decisions at impulsive speeds, right or wrong he'd persevere. He was a natural leader. He shield bashed an enemy and I covered him from flanking trolls. "SHIFT!" He yelled as a troll used a special.

He dodged and I moved in. My right sword stabbed the monster right in an eye while the other severed its head. The creature disappeared a moment later and was replaced by two more. "There they are!" PKers yelled behind us. Cain was a bit alarmed as he gave the call. "Break off, escape!" Fisc did his thing and burst through the wall of trolls. The rest of the guild was close behind him. Red covered their rear as PKers broke through the trolls. "Come on." I sheathe one sword and grab Cain by the collar of his shirt. I was higher level than him. So I could do this. I dashed at a troll, almost dragging Cain.

The troll slammed its arms down, expecting me to keep up my speed. I didn't, I faltered and stepped onto its arms. "Hold onto to your lunch!" I tell Cain as I launch off the trolls head. We soar through the air for about twenty feet before crashing. We roll for a few meters before finally slamming into a pillar. "Ow." I mutter. "That was stupid!" Cain said, laughing. "Y-yeah." He helps me up.

I looked at the PKers. They were very busy facing the trolls. "Come on." Cain hurried towards his guild. Drinking a potion on the way. I hang back as the guild leads the way. Alert, scanning and checking for hordes or ambushes. Red slowed to walk next to me. "Hey." I was unresponsive for a moment. "Hello." I answer, scanning behind me as I heard shattering. "Look, about last night." I had a sudden urge to dash off.

I'd rather take my chances with PKers than have _this_ conversation. "Look don't try to run off." I looked away. "I just wanted to apologize. Last night I saw something that you probably never wanted anyone to see." I nod. "And I'm sorry for thinking you were just..." "Unstable, delusional, slightly off my rocker." I supplied.

She was quiet as she continued. "I never expected you to have an insider in the _Scarlet_ _Abyss_. I just thought that you finally gave under the stress of the game." She bowed slightly at me. So that's what happened. "No. I'm sorry. You have an amazing guild here." Fisc was point as he stood in the middle of a junction. "Stick with them and you'll live through this nightmare." I suddenly wanted to grip my swords. "But what about you?" I shrug.

"I'm a lost cause. At this point I'm damaged goods. I'm good to no one when I'm with the group for awhile. Soloing is the last thing I can do." Red kept her voice low. "No, that's not true. Your an amazing person." I grin a bit. "No, I'm a horrible excuse for a person. I'm only slightly above PKers." "Why? You are honest. You are honorable. You take point the most, you get the enemies attention on yourself most of the time so that others don't get as much risk. Your selfless." I shake my head. "I'm not, trust me. I'm very selfish. I couldn't even end it all. I couldn't pay the ultimate price to set things right with the dead." Red's hand came at me.

I braced myself for the blow. "Maybe its because you knew you could do more good for them while alive." She said as she wiped away a tear. We didn't speak at all then. But I had an ache in my chest that made me want to yell to the topmost tier and back. I had found someone who could begin to understand me. Someone I could lament to, to tell the truth to. "...Did you feel the same?" Red asked out of the blue. "Sorry, its nothing." She hurried on and joined her guild. I was left with questions, regret, and hope all in one moment. "Hurry up Sol! We can see the safezone." I felt relief flood me from head to toe. I dash over and got to the door with them. We push through and enter the well lit crystal dome.

The pulsating blue teleporter was set right in the middle. Eld stood in front of it, looking like he had won. And he did. "Welcome, to my arena!" PKers rushed us from behind. They shoved us into the room and drew weapons. "No." I said disbelieving. There must have been thirty of them. "We don't have much time now do we." Eld said as Saltine turned. "Its just one player!" He yelled as he charged. "No, stop!" Red yelled. Players rushed in from the doors on the far end of the dome. Another twenty or thirty PKers. "I think we're more than prepared for E-stone when he gets here." Eld said as he surrounded us.

They slowly forced us to back into a wall, far from the teleporter and either door. "Now what to do, what to do?" Eld said. He had a sword strapped to his back. I had never seen it before. It looked like the single-edged weapon, like a katana. But something was different about it. Looking at it harder, I noticed how it wasn't a katana at all. It was more like a longsword. There was a black haze around the blade that obscured its shape. I stand between the guild and Eld. "You won't get any closer Eld." I had both swords ready for attacking. He started to laugh. "Didn't we already go through this. If I want them dead you can consider them dead." He took a step. Red joined me at my side. "I got your back." She told me as her rapier drew a line in the air. "Perfect, absolutely perfect." Eld said.

Then he seemed to darken.

"Do it now Cain."

I felt the shock go through my entire body. I heard thuds behind me. I turned with a slash but it was still to late. The dagger stabbed me in the back before arcing through the air. Hitting Red in the shoulder. We were paralyzed. Cain didn't have his shield on now. He only had a two-handed claymore. "Cain!" Eld said. Cain bowed deeply. "Teacher." He was smiling as he said that.

Through sheer willpower I was able to turn and look. The guild Firebrand was completely incapacitated. We were all paralyzed. Then PKers rushed forward, dragging away the paralyzed players. They also dragged us away. We were dropped in the middle of the safezone. Meters away from the escape route. The guild and Eld were off towards the door that lead to the depths of the dungeon. Cain stepped on my head as he made for Red. I've only seen that look once before, a look of hurt and betrayal. Jane had had it.

Now Red did to. "Pity Eld didn't let me act it out a bit longer." He said. Tears ran down Red's face as he cupped his hand under her chin. "Who knows, I might have gotten to use you thoroughly before, if I had had the time." I felt seething rage burn within me. "Get away from her!" Cain looked at me. "Shut it loser." He kicked me in the ribs. I coughed a bit once he was done. "Can you just picture it?" He said, he was torturing Red. "Imagine how much it would hurt if I had been able to get closer to you. To know you in a way no one else could. To be the first one you ever felt strongly for. I can only imagine the beautiful face you'd put on when I'd betray you in that eventuality." He was going to die. I was going to murder him!

"You liking the view Sol?" He asked, directing his attention to me. He lifted Red up a bit, and brought her close. She uttered a small sob. "Stop it." I said.

"Stop poking at the animals." Eld ordered.

Cain ignored him for a moment. Red shut her eyes tightly as Cain moved in. "Damn it." Eld's fist came down and knocked Cain off balance. "I told you something. My word is law!" Cain looked terrified as Eld snapped at him. Cain went over and joined the guild as Eld stood in front of Red. "I'm terribly sorry. He doesn't know when to mind his betters. He still is new." Eld went and joined Cain.

"Alright, our look outs say that E-stone is here. With twenty clearers!" That was a decent chunk of our fighting force. But it wasn't enough. It wasn't damn close to enough. "I'll see you all at phase two." The PKers grumbled before lining up at the door to advance. "Don't worry, you'll have some fun in awhile." Eld was without a doubt insane. He only kept five guards with him. Cain also stuck around. The guild was tied up at their feet. "Any minute now you should be able to move." Eld said. And like clockwork my limbs loosened up. I jumped to my feet, my swords were in my hands in seconds. "Settle." Eld said.

I grimaced before I sheathe my blades. I am instantly at Red's side. She's covering her mouth as tears stream down her face. For a second I can't do anything. Not even say a comforting word. The edges of my vision turn red. "You have five minutes until I kill off her guild. Say whatever last words you want, dear, sweet Red." Her eyes snapped open. She seemed lost. She stood then, her hand on her rapier. I knew then what to do. I grip her shoulder hard. "Don't do it." She shrugged off my hand and started towards Eld. She was hurt, her heart and faith broken. Eld had done it. He had done it all.

I pull her back. "Don't do it." I tell her. She glares at me, emotionless. I turn to face Eld. He was smiling. "Eld." His smile wavered for a moment. I must be giving off such an intense killing intent. We stand still for a moment, a minute, three, four. "Sol!" E-stone yelled as he barged in through the doors. "In time, perfect." That's what he waited for. For E-stone to arrive. "Stay ba––" Eld's hands went to his sword as he stood behind kneeling Pressa.

My eyes went wide. In an instant I turned and dashed at Red. I practically tackled her, she had a lost expression as Eld drew his sword. I covered her eyes and turned her away forcefully. Even as I got a front row view of a beheading. The blade effortlessly slice through Pressa's neck. Her eyes had tears in them as the red line glowed like the sun. It engulfed her body and she shattered. Red bucked in my arms. "Don't look." I say as she yells into my shoulder.

"Don't look." Don't watch, don't watch. Don't be like me. Don't become like me. "Eld!" E-stone yelled. He charged, his clearers close behind him. Eld smiled, I could just feel it. He smiled as he went through the motions. Cleaving Saltine down the middle, lopping off Gilland's and René's head in one _Crescent_.

Then stabbing Fisc through the heart. Out of an entire guild the tank was the only one alive. Eld frowned as Fisc bucked under him. "Just die." He commanded. I saw Fisc ease, then gave a sharp buck, sending Eld stumbling away. That's not the only reason he survived. He rolled away from Eld's rapid thrusts and bought enough time to be saved by the Clearers. E-stone forced Eld to retreat to the end of the room. But the door was there. Red had been reduced to shaking, sobs racked her body. "E-stone don't!" He turned to look at me as the doors were thrown open.

Eld held his ground and soon the rest of the PKers surrounded the clearers. But oddly enough they only corralled them. A few moments later we were introduced to the group of semi-captive clearers. The PKers wore expressionless faces as Eld came forward. "Well that was a thing." Red went still in my arms. "Eld..." She whispered. I gripped her hand tightly as she lunged at Eld. "ELD!" She yelled, droplets of light disappeared in the air as she struggled. Tears. E-stone appeared from the clearers and put a hand on Red's shoulder. I don't know what he did, but Red fell silent. "Good. Now as you can tell I'm just toying with you all. I can have you killed on my command." We tensed. The PKers seemed bored, or reluctant to be here. "Eld. Let my people go." "Oh, why would I ever follow your command? I have all the cards here...Unless you offer me something valuable." This was new.

"I'll duel you." I grabbed E-stone's shoulder. "Tempting offer." Eld said before I could voice my complaint. "But you see I have an objective here." E-stone's hand shook a bit. "So you really are just going to kill us off." He shook his head. "I don't think you understand." Eld told me. He looked all smug and comfortable surrounded by his goons. He pointed first at Red, then at me. "I want her dead and you alive. I can spare her if you come with me." I grimace. "Fine." Red pushes me back. "He's mine." She said. Hatred radiated from her. She was going to kill him. She'd die for it. "Let her come if she wants. Its all up to you Sol. Your the only one of any real importance to me." Red started forwards but I stop her. I can't betray Red like this. Not like this. I close my eyes, tears threatening to overflow.

That's when I settled my mind. "You can't use her." I tell Eld. I turn and launch a blow at Red. The look of shock on her face as she falls, stunned. "E-stone get her out." I walk towards Eld. _How did things get to be this bad? HOW? _"Good, now then you clearers might want to use that teleporter after we leave." Eld nodded to Cain. "Come now." He placed a hand on my shoulders. He looked over my shoulder. "See ya Red." He started to shove me past Eld. I stopped at his side instead. "You want me to be a PKer, right?" Eld gave me a beaming smile. "That's my aim. I'll take you to the base and break you. Given a week I can have a new member, but with you I say about...a month and I'll have what I really want." He said this calmly. "Well I'll tell you this. I'll be a PKer. But if you want me to be loyal to you, good luck with that." Eld chuckled. "One last thing. I want them to get out first." I jab my thumb over my shoulder at the clearers.

He sighed. "I expected as much so this won't put a damper on my plans as much." "Sol, don't do it." E-stone called to me as he handed Red off to a tank. "But!" Eld interrupted. "You'd have to give me something of value. Kill a player right here, right now." I froze for a moment. "Sol...don't..." The voice was small, it was weak, it was Red's. I sigh. "Don't waste this chance I'm giving you." I say as I look over my shoulder. Red was slowly recovering from the stun status. I close my eyes. In an instant I draw my blades and slash at a wide-eyed Eld. He leapt back, safe. But I expected as much. I swiveled on the ball of one foot and slashed at the PKer closest to me. "CAIN!" His eyes were wide as I slash through his neck, completely. There was a brief silence, then a thunderous sound. Cain fell back and shattered into multiple shards. I wanted to drop and gag. This was revolting. Instead I sheathe my weapons.

"...Good." Eld said quietly as he began to clap.

It was just him doing it. But soon the other PKers followed. Some whistled, stomped their feet, or slammed the butt of their weapons onto the ground in cheers. Eld made a gesture and the PKers made a path to the teleporter. "Get going." I say as Eld leads me away. "Now didn't that feel great?" I spat at Eld when he said that. We head through the door to continue in the dungeon. Half his PKers went on ahead, clearing the dungeon for us. We exited the dungeon and arrived at an altar. PKers began gathering loot while Eld looked around. "I hope you don't hate me to much. You will soon be one of my commanders. The abyss looks forward to having you." I was about to tell him exactly where he can shove his expectations when I saw something. "I have a question for you Eld."

"Ask away Tommy." I minded my tongue as I framed my question. "Who are you in real life, I mean, who are you to me?" Eld smiled. It was different this time. It seemed more genuine. More real. "Soon, Tom. Soon." He turned away from me, and that was all the opening I needed. I leapt at him and kicked off his back. I leapt high into the air and landed on a pedestal. "Eld!" Someone said. "Get him." Several others, Eld included, said.

I dropped down and charged out onto the field. I composed a message. _Got away, doubling back to get Eld!_ I added my current coordinates before I made for a forest. I had some thirty PKers after me. The rest must have stayed to defend Eld. I enter the forest and quickly find a place to wait them out. Ten PKers hang around the entrance. I wait till the rest are out of sight before I rush them. "He's––" I used _Raging Thunder_ to drop them. I ran back out onto the field and headed for the altar. It was inaccessible now. But Eld was leaving it. He had his entourage of five guards with him as he marched, angrily I might add, away. "HEY!" I yelled at him as his guards turned. He drew the black sword that killed Red's guild. I leapt over the row of guards and slashed downward at Eld. He leapt back and made a motion. "I'll fight you for now. Entertain me." Eld flourished his sword and I heard his guards teleport away. "Maybe you can tell me the answer to my question from the prison, if your lucky." Eld grinned. Though after seeing a genuine smile earlier this one was more for keeping his demented image.

"Maybe, if _your_ lucky. Now come fight God." I gave something comparable to a roar. I slashed away at him. Unexpectedly, Eld blocked both of my blades. "I feel like we should do this after I take you to the abyss." I growled. "Die!" We locked our blades. But Eld was stronger. I couldn't grasp it. At best he was at my level. Even if his strength was higher my speed and dexterity should more than be a match for him. Plus I had two swords against his one. "Come after me Sol." He said as he leapt back. I dash after him. Unexpectedly he didn't head farther out into the field like I thought he might. He turned and started heading for the main town. Eld laughed madly. "Over here!" Someone yelled. I saw some of the clearers rush over. They must have appeared nearby.

Though one person didn't escape my notice. "Red." I said astonished as she dashed across the thirty meters separating us. She aimed at Eld, who countered her thrust effortlessly. His fist connected with her gut and glowed. She was sent flying into me. I dropped onto the ground hard. "Ow." I muttered. I looked over at Red, her health bar dropped into the yellow. But with just one hit. "Do you really want to fight with me Red?" He asked as his blade seemed grow even more hazy. I got a bad feeling and surged forward to meet him. "This is the third phase." Eld muttered as he dashed at me. All I saw was a blur before his elbow connected with my sternum. I was sent flying back. I felt time slow for an instant. I was still flying back from Eld's blow. My health had only just started to drop when I saw him drop down from above. The tip of his blade aimed at my heart.

I moved as fast as I could.

Moving one of my blades into position to block. It didn't work out that way. Eld's blade was deflected by mine and we tumbled for several meters. Eld recovered first and showed off an extraordinary jump. He was ten feet away in an instant. I glanced at my health, it pulsated slightly to alert me that I was in the red. With just one clean hit and one deflected thrust he had reduced me to so low a health amount. I shake my head and take out a healing draught. "Stay back!" I say as the clearers surround smiles and swings his sword. It glows purple. I see a blurred black shape go forward, back, to both sides and then stop right in the middle. Eld sheathed his sword and the clearers erupted with damage light. "Extended reach in every direction. An areal special. This is _Scorpio_!" I was shocked by this. He had a skill even I hadn't have heard of.

He stepped over the downed clearers and smiled at me. "Now th––" I cut him off mid-sentence. I hacked away at him with all my speed. Even he looked pressed dealing with two swords going as fast as I could force them. Eld sighed heavily then. He shoulder bashed me quickly. I lost my balance and he put some distance between us. "I said follow me." Eld then dashed towards the town. "What the hell!?" E-stone yelled as he saw his clearers and Eld. "I got him!" I say giving chase once again. I completely ignored anything else. I followed Eld for as long as I could. He rushed to the teleporter in town and went down to Mythril. After running through town he delayed me in Sid's store. "What th––" Sid started as Eld leapt onto a chair. I tackled him but connected with nothing. I flopped to the ground as Eld escaped. "Eld!" I yelled as I rushed through the doors. Then he escaped to another tier. Alba. Second tier. We crossed swords once again in the _Hatchlings_' nest. But he managed to get me cornered with seven of the little Rocs. I kept seeing his dark shape ahead of me.

Catching up to him occasionally we'd lock blades until he pulled a trick or two to escape. Finally he went to the twelfth tier. I lost him in the fields. A message arrived for me. _Sol, where are you?_ I responded. Even adding that we were near my house. Near my house, not possible. I seem to walk on autopilot as I head to my isolated home. The first glimpses I catch of it were not good. Fire. PKers. It was definitely not good. I approached my burning home, more rage gathering in me. "Sol." Eld called from behind his PKers. "No..." I heard more PKers surround me from behind. In all, there were ten of them. With two swords I just might be able to take them. I start towards Eld. Two spearmen barred my path and the fighting began. I knocked back the spearmen and turned to face the majority of PKers at my back. "HAAA!" I switched to Vanguard style and immediately charged. The first PKer to rush me had a dagger and shield. With my right blade I thrusted forward while I prepared to thrust under the buckler with my backhand sword. The PKer leapt back as two axe-users charged. I used _Feign_ to knock one into another. I was still in this thrusting position when a spear jabbed my heart. I stumbled off balance before recovering. Eld stood outlined by the blaze of my house. Black smoke choked out the daytime light. I charged him now. Trying to cut the serpent's head off. A mace glanced off my swords and I was being pulled back.

I broke free of one PKers grip and stabbed another in the eye. Then I slammed my elbow hard into the other's nose. They reeled. But the others were within five feet of me. I'd never reach Eld. Not like this. I lost sight of him as the wall of bodies closed in. _Accelerate_ saved me. I attacked the PKers head on, knocking three back. I discovered that this special seemed to have a type of automatic targeting. I appeared at the side of another PKer and knocked her down. After unleashing the remaining hits I appeared behind a huddled group of PKers. I made no sound as I delivered the final barrage. Six of the ten PKers teleported away when their health flashed red. The remaining four put up a tough fight before I was able to knock them down. I didn't kill any of them. Though it felt like the only option at some point. I stood among the downed PKers for a moment. My health pulsated red, it was under a third of what it should be. I scan around for Eld. Alarmed at his sudden disappearance.

"Sol!" E-stone yelled. Red appeared from the surrounding trees with him. "Stay back...He's here." I continue to scan furiously. They come towards me. "Screw it Sol, he can deal with all three of us." E-stone looked really pissed. I would have been grateful for this offer but an axeman suddenly leapt up. His axe glowed as he charged me. I sidestepped the attack before stabbing him in the side. He grimaced and shoulder bashed me back. I felt heat lick at my back as the flames reached for me. The last thing I saw, before everything changed, was the satisfied smirk on the PKer's face. I heard a dull thud. The shocked expressions on E-stone's and Red's face told me everything. I refused to look. I saw the PKers escape, using their teleportation gems. But the health bar kept pulsating. I made myself look down.

Eld's black sword protruded from my chest. Then his hand came around and clapped around my mouth. "There now." He said, pushing the blade all the way up to the hilt. He forced me to arch my back, he slightly lifted me off the ground. I dropped my swords and clutched the blade. "Say good-bye." Eld said. Red was saying something. She dashed towards us, her hand reaching. But Eld leapt back into the flames, adding a burned status to my health bar. He pulled out the blade and left me sprawled out on my back. He watched, complacently. My roof sagged over head and the house groaned. I saw the ceiling come down before I saw a lot of light. Then there was a brief shattering and I heard no more.

Its dark. I can't see anything. There's nothing to feel. I must be dead. I have to be dead. I feel around with my fingers. That's when I realized I was on a stone floor. My dread reached an all time high then. I immediately got onto my knees. A moment later and I had the blindfold off. I looked around. There was a dim glow coming from the stone walls, floor, and ceilings, illuminating my cell. "Your up Sol." Eld said from his seat. The chair looked like it belonged in a decently priced home rather than in this dungeon. I glanced at my health. It was a safe green. Full. I reached for my blades. Nothing was there. I noticed now I was in a simple cotton shirt and pants. I had no gear. "I'd like to be the first to congratulate you. Welcome to the _Scarlet Abyss_." A symbol pulsated next to my health bar. The symbol for the Alliance of White Wings was dimmed, next to it was the emblem of the abyss.

"Welcome to my guild Sol." I knew everything changed right then and there. Eld would not let me keep my sanity. He'd break me down. He'd use me as a tool. Though for now I kept calm. "...How am I not dead?" Eld smiled at me. "It took some careful planning. I had to speculate on the amount of HP you have, how much defensive capabilities the gear you wore had. Also I had to estimate how much damage you should take before I falsify your death." It seemed like he just improvised. "How long was I asleep?" "About four hours." Its still the same day. I can still get them to realize I'm not dead. If they haven't figured it out already. "Though I have to say, the funeral they're having for all the clearers lost so far is going to be touching."

"What?" Eld didn't smile. "We had some casualties on both sides. I lost two good men while a renegade went on a killing spree. Three clearers died before he was put down by one of my men." Three, no, a total of six people were lost today. "I'll send you the recording. It might bring a few tears here."

"...Bastard." I start to stand. "Now don't hate me. In time I think we can be friends once again. After you learn all my secrets you'll come to realize I'm not to bad."

"Your insane, and that's worse." He sighed.

"Really Tom, don't judge a book by its cover." Eld stood and gripped one of the horns. "I hate wearing this at home. Its a bit stuffy." His helmet rolled away from us as it hit the ground. I felt something, seeing his face. Tears. Sorrow, Anger. Disbelief. "Co...Cooper." He just smiled at me.

"Its been awhile hasn't it. Nice seeing you again Tom." I dropped to the ground. I felt like retching. "Easy there, take deep breaths." He seemed kind as he went towards the door. "I'll free you in a day or so. Your inventory has some survival food. Jerky and the like. Don't try to break the chains though, we had a high level blacksmith forge it. It will keep you in here nice and safe." He opened the cell door. "Wait...Your name..." He turned to me. "Tell me your name." He sighed.

"Fine." He told me. And it started to click into place. "Take care Tom. As a side note, you can't send messages in here. I set up this base like that." I nod numbly as he exits. The door shuts slowly behind him. I stay composed for another minute before I break. "AHHHH!" Eld's helmet stares at me. "AAAHHHHH!" My screams punctuate the air.

I stay on the floor for some time, just screaming. It can't be possible. It can't be. This game was worse than I thought. It use to be a nightmare of hell. Now it was the real deal. This is what Hell looks like. And I silently wished I had never gotten out of that fire. I wished that I would just burn away rather than stand this.

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Some time later, when my screams stopped, I had a visitor. "Hey." She said. I look up slowly. Silvermane is outlined in the doorway. "I swear I had no idea." She said as she closes the door behind herself. She shakes me a bit. I focus on her for a bit. "Look, I'm sorry I couldn't stop Eld." She unshackled me. She helped me reach the chair Eld had sat on. I took deep breaths as I slowly returned to a semblance of normal.

"Eld's gone for now. I can at least let you rest comfortably." She had a canteen in her hand. She handed it to me. I drained it in one go. I close my eyes for a moment. "Can...Can you get me out?" She tensed. "No. I'm sorry. We'd be killed off in a moment." I nod. "I guess there's no helping it. I'll have to sit here for a while longer." Silvermane was quiet for a moment. "Escape is not impossible. But the consequences of it will come to haunt you." Her sister, I forgot. "I...I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking straight." She shook her head. "I can understand. From how bad you were yelling Eld must have done something terrible." I swallowed dryly.

"No, he just showed me his face." She finally noticed his helmet, cast off in a corner of the room. She was quiet for a minute. "...Did he know you?" I kept quiet this time. "We were friends. I didn't remember him for..." I felt nauseous. "Forget it. It still doesn't change the fact of what he is." She gripped my shoulders hard and looked me straight in the eyes. "Though I want to know something right now." She pulled out a dagger and placed it against my neck. "When the time comes will you be able to end it, to end him?" I was quiet for a second. "I...I'm not sure." Her blade pressed against my neck, dropping my health an imperceptible amount.

"But...Yes. I will." She nodded and sheathed her weapon. "Sorry its just that I want to know if I can trust you in here. If your to weak I'd have to cut you loose." "That's a bit cold." For a moment I remembered killing Cain. "No, its survival." "Again, cold, but I can respect that." I feel a bit more grounded now. I stand, wobbling slightly. "I hope we can work towards the same end." We shake hands. "Lets hope we live long enough." I nod. I sit back down and she starts telling me all the possible things Eld might do to me.

"Most likely he'll go for drowning you. The sensation is much the same here, even though the avatars don't need to breathe being plunged underwater still makes your lungs hurt." I nod.

"Be prepared to stay under for ten minutes. Or being plunged, pulled out and plunged again. He does this sometimes to catch them off guard." I shiver a bit. She explains to me a few other tortures. "Its bearable, he'll only leave you on fire for a few minutes after that." I nod. She opens her menu and checks the time. "...He'll be back soon." She shackles me back up. "I'm sorry I can't keep these off you." I shake my head. "Its no problem." She locks the door behind her as she leaves. I decide to calm my stomach by eating some of the jerky. It tasted decent enough. I chew it for a bit, waiting. Eld was coming for me. He would induct me into his group of PKers.

I was already a killer, but killing again wasn't what I had in mind. I swallow the last of the jerky, it tasted bitter. There were only a few people I'd kill. Eld was at the top of my list that comprised only of PKers. Just wait, just you wait for it.

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I shuffle down dim corridors. "Where are we going?" Eld doesn't answer as he leads the way. Blue and Deg are behind me. Shoving me forward. "We're just going to induct you." He sounded grim as he told me that. I prepare myself to suffer. It had been around four days since Eld had abducted me. Now he was finally going to induct me. He had taken his time, he must have debated on how to induct me. We walk for a long time. Turning, climbing stairs, dropping down trapdoors. Finally after walking for an hour we came to a dark room. I take slow, deep breaths as Deg closes the door behind me. I was ready. "Step forward." I did, expecting a spear from my flank. Instead the room lit up. I peered down at the distant ground. "Wha––" Eld kicked me hard. I tumbled through the air and hit the bottom hard. "I'm sorry." Eld said. Metal grates opened in the sheer wall I had fallen down from.

PKers dropped down safely. Armored and with weapons. "I'm sorry Tom. But you'll have to join my side, one way or another." They surged at me. I was no match as I was now, fatigued, slightly starved, deprived of sleep. They knocked me down and chained me to a far wall. "I really am sorry."

"ELD!" I yelled up at him as he left the chamber. Then I was subjected to the cruelest of tortures in game. Being drowned, burned, having my fingers, and later limbs lopped off. I was screaming within hours. The whole time I was fighting to keep a single thought.

"ELD!" I was able to hold onto thoughts of revenge the longest. But those to faded amongst the pain, the constant threat of my life diminishing to zero, and generally being reduced to nothing.

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E-stone wore his best attire for the occasion. The dark cloak was fitting for the event. He had a white flower pinned over his heart. He had on decorative gear that was recently polished. He made his way to the stage that had several obelisks behind it. He looked aged. Tired. He was addressing a crowd of some two hundred players. Only a fraction of the total clearing effort. While the assault group, the clearers who went on to fight bosses was small, the network of information brokers, merchants, blacksmiths, and treasure hunters stretched far beyond the small group gathered here. It was said that the total clearing "group" was closer to a thousand or at the very least several hundreds. But this was just the few that could be gathered here for the impromptu function.

E-stone stood before the clearers. The support and assault groups. He held his head high and began. "Today is a sad day. Today, we are here to honor the lives lost." The obelisks behind him seemed to exert a certain presence. "Today, around ten hours ago, the assault group received a message from the solo clearer Sol. It was about his sudden concern that he feared an attack imminent." There were a few brief conversations about this but they quickly hushed as E-stone raised a hand.

"In response we gathered a small band of clearers just incase. And sure enough we were mobilized because the leader of the killing guild _Scarlet Abyss_, Eld, had planned an attack on that dungeon and stumbled across a guild trying to clear it." Red looked at E-stone with hollow eyes. "After being captured by the PKers we arrived in time to fall into a trap. We were only able to save one member along with Red of the assault group, who was accompanying the guild in their clearing." Red bowed her head slightly at that.

Fisc was at her side, unreadable. "And now I bring you to the reason why we have decided to now honor the dead. Its because of something that happened. To set us free, Sol did as Eld commanded and was briefly captured. Allowing for our immediate release and safety." There was a pause for applauses and cheers. "Sol's capture and then escape lead to a brief chase for Eld. We, the bulk of the clearers assembled for this, faced heavy opposition. Losing three brave souls in the ensuing battle." There was a pause for mourning. "And then another loss. One I believe hits a lot of players." E-stone took a deep breath.

"As of Twelve o'clock, noon today, after fighting off ten PKers...solo clearer Sol was lost with the subsequent arson of his home." The silence was deafening this time. "Which is why, today, right now, we are mourning our fallen. Sol logged onto this game like all of us, clueless about what he lost and what he had at risk. Now, he has done the clearers a great service. Along with all of our fallen heroes." E-stone blinked hard. Then in a louder voice than before. "Which is why the sacrifices made today, made since the beginning of this hell, will not be forgotten. _You _will not be forgotten." The last part was directed at the numerous obelisks that dotted the _Fields of the lost_. The graveyard for players. This was a field location on the first tier. The largest tier that had the most space to contribute should twenty thousand players lose their lives. These words from E-stone rallied the players present, and those watching from a rare broadcasting. Curtesy of the Press.

"This is our promise. This is what _we_ promise. We will free everyone from this prison!" The cheers reached a fever pitch. "From Purgatory!" Players stood now, making the ground shake with their cheers. "From Dæmonica!" The whistles and cheers. Chants and prayers, all concluded around one phrase. "Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!" Then a second chant. "Never forget! Never forget!" E-stone then turned and delivered the salute of Dæmonica. He equipped his sword and shield. Raising the tip of his blade towards the horizon, the last traces of light from the sun were fading as the obelisks gave off their bright, phantasmal glow. Players drew or brought out their weapons and aimed towards the horizon, towards the obelisks. This was a solemn moment of silence. No one dared break it. No one, but him.

He started by clapping. E-stone immediately turned, fire burning in his eyes. But everyone stared. He strolled through the crowd. His black sword out and ready to kill. "Oh yes truly sorry for the near slaughter. But on a bright note I did win." E-stone leapt off the stage with a special. Eld blocked the strike easily. "Touchy, touchy. Are you going to cry you big baby?" Eld forced E-stone back.

Red dashed at him, her rapier gave off a red glow. Eld couldn't avoid that special. He suffered four hits to the chest before he countered. Red slammed hard into the stage as Eld was surrounded. He was grinning from within his old skull mask. "I just came to give my condolences. And for this." Eld raised a teleportation gem. "This is my declaration of war. Beware the _Scarlet Abyss_." As a finisher Eld took off his helmet. "I swear it, we will show you the true power of the abyss." With that he was gone.

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"I think I acted my part pretty well." Eld mused as he played the recording again. "Can you believe its been a week?" I think I raised my head a bit. I was hanging by my hands at the moment, the torture had worn me down. "..."

"Still not saying a word. To bad. I'm might let you down if you ask." This made me start. I shakily stood under my own power. I made a few incoherent grunting sounds. Trying to form words when I had been screaming since being dropped in here. "Ah...Ah!" Eld starts for the rope ladder on the far end of the torture chamber. "Hel...Help..." He stops on the first rung.

My two tortures drop down next to him. "Help me...me...Help me..." The two torturers regard me for a moment. Contemplating how to hurt me. "Let him have his day to serve." Eld came forward and unshackled me. I dropped to the ground. I contemplated attacking him now. As if sensing my intentions the two torturers raised their weapons. I cowered a bit. "Calm." The PKers sheathed their weapons. "Sol." Eld went down onto one knee and offered me a hand. "If you don't want to go back to the whipping board you'll do what I tell you." I contemplated his offer for as much as I'd like to kill him I preferred to go without to much pain for as long as I could after this experience. I'd contemplate on how much of my soul Eld would have a lease on.

I grip his hand and he helps me stand. He hands me a piece of bread that I scarf down. "Good." He motions for me to follow him. I keep my head down a bit as I follow behind him. "This is much nicer. I'm sorry that I had to break you into this order. But I really need you to join my team for better or worse." I stay silent as he starts up the ladder. I look at the ladder, I hesitantly climb up it. Eld helps me up at the top and he guides me through his fortress. "..." PKers glared at me. "Don't mind them much. Your just fresh meat." I picked up my pace a bit. He takes me to an armory. Was he really trusting me this much? Idiot. I'd get a sword and behead him soon. "Before you try and kill me," He started. "I'd like you to think this through." He scanned the rows of swords and chose one. He presented it to me. "I'm going to put you in a special position that will deal with the clearers. But if you kill me and leave what will stop all those PKers from hunting down your friends and making them suffer ten times what you had to suffer."

I blanched. "Now that you understand the situation." He shoved the sword into my hands. I equip it without thinking. The familiar weight at my side was a bit reassuring. I had to bite my lip to not draw it and end him. "Don't worry. With you in charge the clearing will be better." I stopped as he headed to the door. He smiled at me. That familiar, genuine smile. It made my heartache for a moment. "Welcome to the Necessarius division." Eld said as he threw me some light armor and a coat. I equipped it all and stood geared up for a battle. The half-guard across my chest was shiny and bright. "Now come on Sol. Its time to get you the respect of your men."

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_A brief look at what's to come from Eld._

The dark figure marched to the clearers. They had formed up after the four PKers initial strike. The figure held up a hand, it was clenched in a tight fist. The PKers, some reluctantly, backed off and stood behind the figure. All except one. She was the archer who had been hanging back. She followed the figure as he approached the clearers. The figure reached over his shoulder at the sword sheathed there. The blade was darker than black. A blade that seemed to suck in the malice of a PKer and solidify it. This indescribable dark weapon was held lightly as the leader approached. The clearers were wary and tightened their formation. The leader stopped halfway to the clearers. The voice was distorted by the mask he wore but his words were clear enough. "Leave this place." The clearers grimaced. E-stone groaned from the back. "We don't need you murderers here. If we weren't about to kill the boss we'd be condemning your asses!"

There was a general agreement with what E-stone said. Under his mask the PKer leader narrowed his eyes at the guildmaster. "I warned you." He looked over his shoulder at the archer. "Silvermane." She nodded wordlessly and drew an arrow. The Clearers lifted up their shields or readied to dodge an incoming arrow. But they never took their eyes off the dark figure. His sword glowed. He made it level with his shoulder and lunged forward. An unheard of special. The attack extended the reach of the weapon somewhat. Maybe two or three times the length. And the rushing figure closed the gap before anyone noticed this terrifying development. Clearers were blown aside from the blow. Their health took a severe but manageable blow. Silvermane kept cover on the figure as enemies tried to flank him. No one was going to touch him before he was getting to the real prize. With E-stone coming towards him, that prize was drawing closer with every step. "HAAA!" E-stone yelled as he swung his greatsword.

The blade would have cleaved a stone in two, but it was stopped. Blocked more like it. They strained against each other before the dark figure sidestepped clear of the blade and punched hard. E-stone went tumbling and barely kept on his feet. He grimaces before rushing again. Parry, dodge, counter. That's what they did, E-stone at an obvious disadvantage. Their fighting was so fierce that the other clearers dared not approach. And the archer quickly stopped sending volley's of arrows their way, she perched herself on a broken pillar and watched. No one dared to get between these titans fighting, none save one.

She was as quick as a flash. "DOWN!" Red yelled as her rapier rocketed forward. E-stone threw himself to one side as the rapier connected with the dark figure. The figure stumbled back and put some distance between them. His helm had come off his head. The clearers froze. The face that looked back at them was the one they thought was dead. Sol.

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I glared at them. A slight line of red on my cheek. Remembering Eld's words I put on an acrid smiles. "Hello clearers, its so nice to be back." I lunged past Red. E-stone's instincts were top notch, he instantly recovered from the shock and blocked my thrust. But it threw him off balance and I kicked him back into his clearers. My "prize" was here. I turned to Red, my expression neutral.

"Its been way to long Red. How long since you saw me being pulled into that fire?" I ask as I bring my sword down on her. Its a shallow cut, not much damage if any. But the pain is enough to make her act. She leaps away from me and gives me this hurt expression. I feel anger in pit of my stomach. I wordlessly attack her. Fiercely, giving her no quarter. Once, twice, red light glared up from her wounds. We locked swords and our faces were mere inches apart. "...Why?" She asked, still in a semi-stupor. I felt my rage flare as I shove her back. "Lord Eld has said it be done." I spat out angrily.

She looked devastated. _I hate, hate, hate you! _I think as my rage starts to color my vision. Red listlessly puts her blade up as I continue to assault her. "WEAK!" I yell and headbutt her. She exclaims and stumbles back. Instantly I close the distance between us. I hold her up with one hand tightening around her throat. She grips my wrist with her free hand and tries to pry herself loose. "Advance!" I call over my shoulder.

An explosion of shouts and clashing metal erupts behind me as my PKers surge through the distracted clearers. Red still has full use of her rapier. She could still damage me, or end this. She had tears in her eyes as she looked at me with terror. For a second I felt myself soften, and I briefly saw that in the reflection of her eyes. Her health bar was approaching the halfway point when it all ended. Silvermane was walking towards me with a dagger in her hand. I sheathed my sword. She stood next to me as Red's health turned yellow.

Arrows fell like rain around us, protecting me and Silvermane from any attack. I let my free hand fall limply at my side, in a moment she held my hand. Our fingers interlocked. "Its over after this." She said. I nod. Looking Red dead in the eyes as I drop her. She coughs and is helpless before me. A quick special will end it all. "Its his wish so it must be done." Silvermane reminds me as I turn my head to look at her. She kisses me full on the lips. I had my eyes close, so did she. In the middle of this battle field, she was kissing me, urging me on.

We part and I let go of her hand. I look down briefly at Red, the hurt in her eyes is final. I turn away. "Finish it." I tell her as I approach the Clearers. With my head half turned I watched Silvermane raise the dagger. It glowed. She was ending it. I scrunched up my eyes as my body acted on its own. I gripped her wrist and interrupted before she couldn't stop the special. "Let's go." She looked wordlessly at me, understanding in her eyes. She walks away, I look at her as she disappears into the crowd of fighters. "Let this be the last time we meet, Red." I take steps to follow in Silvermane's wake. "There will be no stopping next time." I move through the wall of bodies and weapons and find Silvermane. Three clearers lay sprawled around her.

I take her hand in mine and bring her close. Tears seemed to gather in my eyes. She used a gem to escape as I gave the call. Amid the strewn bodies of wounded clearers I looked at Red, still on the ground, with E-stone at her side. "We are Necessarius." I say as my troops break away from the clearers. Some had escaped, but my personal guards were still here. All together maybe forty PKers stood behind me.

I gave the signal to retreat. We were done here. They used gems to escape until I was the only one left standing. "Consider this a promo for what's to come. Leave the clearing to killers." Is all I saw before I bring out my own gem. Red looks so frail now. Hurt, confused, betrayed, tortured. Its a tragically beautiful expression, a hauntingly beautiful one. Given a choice I wished to never again or never have seen that look on her face. "Eld says so, let it be known." Red takes a deep breath, tears running down her face. "So––" I teleport away.

_ Now what lead up to this_.

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I stood before a group of clearing level players. Though they all belonged to the _Scarlet Abyss_. I felt strange, standing here among them. "I'd like you all to meet Sol, he'll be leading you from now on." This group was different. They didn't applaud or cheer, neither did they give me dirty looks. They just looked at me for a moment before returning to their idleness. "Command Sol." I did a salute. "I have your first mission." The PKers looked this way. "You will go to tier seven, Mythril, and you'll deal with the thief guild _Roc shadow_. Some of your subordinates will get the information needed." I blinked. Confused.

I saw the players start to organize themselves. Equipping gear and checking weapons. "Lead them well." I didn't argue, mostly because I didn't want to go back to the hole. I looked at the players. They would be ready within ten minutes. Though one shape did seem familiar. She stood next to me. "Nice to see you." She said as she checked her bowstring. I nod. "Eld put you in charge of his pet project now. Well at least you don't get some of the more...difficult jobs." I refrained from asking Silvermane what she meant. "Will they listen to me?" She was quiet for a moment. After a while she answered. "They will." Then she bowed to me. I clenched my hands for a moment. How to start this. "...Necessarius." They stood straight. I straightened as well to address them. "As you all know Eld has appointed me to lead you. We have our first mission." Five players stepped forward. "We have the information." One of them said. "Then I guess you are my subordinates." They forwarded me the info. I glance it over. It detailed a lot about this guild. Members, noticeable events, suspected bases. It even had a brief about the type of players they were. I contemplated this for an instant. "Alright. We're moving out." They donned cloaks and filed out of the room.

Silvermane stayed behind to give me advice. "We already have a structure set here." She tells me. "Eld called them squads. We have four full sized squads and if the situation calls for it we can break into eight half squads." She went on to put out a few of the important figures. "The orientation of squad B is mostly set up as agile damage dealers. They usually flank or sneak attack the target while we," She pointed to herself and me. "In squad A act as more a diversion on the front lines. Squad A has a lot of bowmen that double as sword or dagger users. We can be very formidable. Squad C has the tanks. They obviously have their pros and cons. While D squad is what you'd call special." I raised an eyebrow. "They are a random bunch that uses a range of weapons. They have a lot of axe users along with sword and shield users. They're mostly brutes though. Great for breaking through defense lines while squad A destroys the organization of the target with a volley of arrows." I was a bit glad she didn't say enemies. Target sounds so much more distant and nonhuman. Silvemane seemed alienated with what she was about to do. I was thankful for that, she'd make that hard call in the end.


End file.
